A supporter holds up a picture of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah at a pro-Hezbollah rally in the southern Beirut suburbs, Oct. 8, 2023. (Credit: João Sousa/L'Orient Today)
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian police on Sunday arrested another man suspected of links to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, bringing the number of detainees suspected of involvement with the group to three, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The name of the detainee, arrested in Brazil's capital Brasilia, was not revealed, but his alleged link to the Iranian-backed group was already under investigation, sources said.
Last week, Brazil arrested two people in Sao Paulo in an operation to break up a suspected Hezbollah cell allegedly planning attacks on Jewish targets in the South American nation.
On Wednesday, the Brazilian Federal Police arrested two men in Sao Paulo on suspicion of preparing “terrorist attacks.”
Later, the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service (Mossad) claimed that the suspects were affiliated with Hezbollah and were planning an attack against “Jewish” and “Israeli” targets.
According to Brazilian media outlet O Globo, one of the two suspects was arrested upon his return from Lebanon, at the city’s airport.
While the Brazilian authorities have not confirmed this version of events, the development comes amid high regional tension and daily exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said in 2019 he planned to label Hezbollah a terrorist organization as well, but the move never took place.
Sunday arrested another man suspected of links to the Lebanese
militant group Hezbollah, bringing the number of detainees
suspected of involvement with the group to three, two sources
with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on condition of
anonymity.
The name of the detainee, arrested in Brazil's capital
Brasilia, was not...