Tracking Hezbollah’s Every Move

In the espionage trade, half the battle is figuring out how to operate in stealth mode and the other half, figuring out how to closely track everyone else (even though they too are aiming to be completely undetectable). Recent discoveries show that Hezbollah hasn’t been faring too well on the first half of that battle for the last four years. But even though they’ve been caught with their pants down, the internationally recognized Lebanon-based and Iran-backed terrorist organization is still very much viewed as a growing threat in the United States.

Israeli intelligence reportedly infiltrated the highest levels of Hezbollah with the aid of Marwain Faqih, a businessman with strong ties to Hezbollah leadership until he was recently accused of spying for Israel for over a decade. He was arrested last month and is now awaiting prosecution by the Lebanese authorities.

A Lebanese security service leak indicates that Mr. Faqih used his automobile businesses (including dealerships and mechanic shops) to plant tracking and listening gadgets – information from which funneled directly to the Mossad – in Hezbollah vehicles. Indeed, most of the vehicles he supplied to the terrorist organization were found to contain GPS-tracking devices. Reports don’t agree on how many vehicles were bugged – some say dozens, others hundreds.

The story checks out – numerous Lebanese security sources confirm what’s been picked up by the international media, adding only that the scope of the damage to Hezbollah is greater than was first announced. It also sheds light on Israel’s uncannily precise air-fire targeting during the 2006 war with Lebanon. A series of near-misses left Hezbollah scratching their heads, and now they know how Israel was getting its geo intel.

Turns out Israel’s been tuned into the group’s movements in this manner for four years now, which means they must have a strong grasp on Hezbollah whereabouts, patterns, habits and standard procedures, some of which Hezbollah is no doubt scurrying to reconfigure.

A Middle East source says, “At this point Hezbollah knows that all of the movements by major officials for the past four years are probably detailed on a screen in an Israeli intelligence centre.” Which begs the question: How will not having this information now that the operation has been exposed affect Israel’s ability to keep on top of Hezbollah?

Hitting a little closer to the US, is a 38-page official government report (2008 Interagency Intelligence Committee on Terrorism) concluding that Hezbollah has been forming cells in the US that could soon become operational.

According to the report, even though this particular terrorist group does not have a history of targeting the US, a “triggering event” could affect their approach. What sort of a triggering event are we talking about here? Unfortunately, the report doesn’t shed any light on that front.

It seems that the current Hezbollah sleeper network in the US is involved in all sorts of illegal activity, including money laundering, drug trafficking and weapons smuggling. Islamic terrorist groups have also built and grown relationships with mainstream American Muslim organizations, some of which have supported the terrorists’ fundraising efforts.

By 2014, Hezbollah is expected to pose a major threat to national security – that’s only five years away. Other terror groups are also establishing a presence in the US – among them is the ever-present threat of Al Qaeda, which the report said is looking to hit strategic US facilities.

Although things may seem quieter on the surface to the general public, the threat of terrorism is still very much present in the US, and constant vigilance is key to ensuring homeland security. Even cyber espionage is on the rise. As per USA Today, “reported cyberattacks on US government computer networks climbed 40% last year, federal records show, and more infiltrators are trying to plant malicious software they could use to control or steal sensitive data.” On the back of these reports, President Obama has asked Melissa Hathaway to run a 60-day review of federal computer security programs.

So, even though Hezbollah has suffered a setback on their own turf, their outposts in the US seem to be slowly growing their power base. Penetrations like Israel’s offer some reassurance, but these continue to be very worrying times.

cartoon courtesy of www.theodoresworld.net