Latin Al-Queda
Dietrich
By Mike Ceaser in Paraguay
Ciudad del Este is a freewheeling border town which has long been notorious
for corruption, piracy and contraband goods, which are often smuggled across
the Parana River into Brazil.
However, the US and Paraguayan authorities now suspect this heavily Arabic
area of also providing support for terrorism.
In testimony to Congress on 10 September the US State Department
Co-ordinator for Counter-terrorism, Francis Taylor, described American
concerns.
"In what is known as the 'tri-border area' where Argentina, Brazil and
Paraguay converge, we see the long-standing presence of Islamic extremist
organisations, primarily Hezbollah," he said.
"These organisations engage in document forgery, money laundering,
contraband smuggling, and weapons and drug trafficking."
Evidence of lack of government control are in sight throughout bustling
downtown Ciudad del Este.
Accounts examined
Here, where business is conducted in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and
Chinese, the sidewalks are crowded with stands piled with watches,
cigarettes and liquor - nearly all brought in duty-free, and most pirated
imitations of famous brands.
Behind them, the back-to-back electronics stores offer larger, more
expensive items.
In the streets, men hustle out of stores and warehouses carrying boxes
destined to be smuggled across the Parana River into Brazil.
The 11 September attacks on the US prompted Paraguayan authorities to
attempt to impose some control on activities here.
In recent sweeps, police have arrested 14 Arab immigrants on immigration
charges and seized allegedly incriminating material.
At the request of US authorities, 46 bank accounts are also being examined.
Suspects
No ties to the 11 September attacks have been found, and nobody suggests
that the great majority of this area's large Lebanese immigrant community
are anything but hard-working businesspeople.
But the authorities say the area's combination of porous borders, rampant
corruption and huge black market economy could all make this a convenient
place from which to plan or finance terrorism activities with little to fear
from law enforcement.
"Our society's vulnerability greatly facilitates any activity," said
Paraguay's Criminal Prosecutor Carlos Calcena, who worries that terrorists
could propagate support among the nation's huge poor population.
Still, officials are quick to point out that terrorism ties are still
speculations.
"There's no proof, only suspicions," said Interior Minister Julio Cesar
Fanego. "Any place in the world where you have three frontiers, there's
concern."
But several suspected or accused terrorists have passed through the
tri-border region.
They include a Palestinian immigrant suspected by US officials of planning
to attack the American and Israeli embassies here and an Egyptian national
wanted by his own government for suspected ties to the 1997 massacre of
tourists in Luxor, Egypt.
Deepening concerns about who might be in the tri-border region was
highlighted earlier this year when Paraguay's consul in Miami resigned after
it was revealed he had issued more than 300 visas, including more than a
dozen to Arab nationals, without following established procedures.
Hezbollah donations
Local Arabs say it would be impossible for terrorists to be hiding in their
community, but make no secret about their sympathy and even financial
support for Hezbollah, which the US labels a terrorist organisation.
Lebanese-born Sheik Mounir Fadel, of the Mosque of Mohammed the Prophet in
Ciudad del Este, says local aid goes solely to Hezbollah's humanitarian
operations.
"Our help, the money which we send, we always send to our families, to
reconstruct, such as helping orphans," said Fadel, speaking in Arabic
through a translator.
Fadel called the recent police sweeps an unjustified persecution of Muslims
which has damaged the community's image.
Nevertheless, the most recent police raid in Ciudad del Este uncovered items
which prosecutor Calcena believes indicate an active role in extremism.
'Recruitment' videos
Two weeks ago, police arrested two electronics store employees on false
document charges and seized videos showing alleged terrorist training and
fighting, as well as records of the transfer of tens of thousands of dollars
monthly to destinations including New York and Lebanon, Mr Calcena said.
US embassy spokesman Mark Davidson sees the most recent evidence as part of
a pattern of links of local individuals to Islamic terrorist groups.
"We have made our concerns clear to Paraguayan authorities and are pleased
by their willingness to act," he said.
In the wake of the 11 September attacks, Paraguayan authorities have sent
more police to the tri-border area and are working to tighten border
controls.
An anti-terrorism law is also to be presented to parliament, and the
tri-border region investigation is continuing.
Interior minister Fanego expects the situation to improve.
"It is possible to impose control," he said. "But 100% control is
difficult."