SPANISH AND GERMAN AUTHORITIES ARREST ALLEGED HEZBOLLAH MEMBERS

Joint Operation Leads to Four Arrests

By Kaila Hall

 

On July 18, 2024, Spanish authorities announced¹ the arrests² of three individuals who had allegedly been working with the Lebanese and Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. In a joint operation with Spain, German authorities also announced they had arrested an individual with ties to Hezbollah. The Spanish Civil Guard stated that the investigation into these individuals began after it had detected the purchase of large quantities of materials suitable for kamikaze drones. ² Spanish officials stated that “the shipment of essential components for its construction has been stopped, preventing the production of UAVs intended for attacks.”

Founded in 1982, Hezbollah,³ meaning “Party of God” in Arabic, is a Lebanese Shia Islamist militant group that the United States U.S. designates as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. American intelligence reports estimate Hezbollah has over 40,000 members. All backed by Iran, Hezbollah also has close ties to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The Spanish Civil Guard conducted a joint operation with the German Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). On July 15, German authorities announced⁴ that they had arrested Fadel Z., a Lebanese national in connection with Hezbollah. They charged him with membership in a terrorist organization, constituting a violation of Section 129a, Paragraph 1, Number 1 of the Criminal Code and Section 129b, Paragraph 1, Sentences 1 and 2 of the Criminal Code. A Der Generalbundesanwalt beim Bundesgerichtshof (Office of the Federal Public Prosecutor) press release explained that Fadel Z. became a member of Hezbollah in 2016. This year, he began gathering materials to construct military drones that officials believe were used in Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel.

Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have escalated in recent months amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. In May 2024,⁵ Hezbollah began using new weapons and military drones to launch missiles into northern Israel, injuring three. Last month, an Israeli strike killed senior Hezbollah commander Taleb Sami Abdullah. In return, Hezbollah launched missiles toward Israel and announced it would increase attacks.⁶ Earlier this week,⁷ it also fired dozens of rockets at Israeli kibbutz Dafna in retaliation for an Israeli drone strike that wounded three.

The United States Congress has authorized numerous sanctions against entities facilitating financial transactions with Hezbollah. In 2015, Congress passed the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act,⁸ which was later amended in 2018. After the Israel-Hamas War began last October, Congress passed H.Res. 599,⁹ “Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.” In the 2024 National Strategy for Combating Terrorist and Other Illicit Financing report, the U.S. Treasury Department stated that Hezbollah “members and sympathizers have long been involved in an array of large-scale criminal schemes, including sophisticated money laundering, smuggling, and trafficking networks that have involved the U.S. financial system.”¹⁰

 

Kaila Hall is an intern at IELR. She is a rising senior at Cornell University.

 

[1] Guardia Civil. “The Civil Guard and the German Authorities Dismantle One of Hezbollah’s Drone Logistics Structures That Operate in Europe.” Guardia Civil Press Releases, 18 July 2024, www.guardiacivil.es/es/prensa/noticias/9021.html.

‌ [2] Baboolal, Samara. “Spain Authorities Arrest Suspected Hezbollah Members in Joint Operation with Germany.” Www.jurist.org, 19 July 2024, www.jurist.org/news/2024/07/spain-authorities-arrest-suspected-hezbollah-members-in-joint-operation-with-germany/. ‌

[3] Congressional Research Service. “Lebanese Hezbollah.” Congressional Research Service, 10 May 2024, crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10703#:~:text=Legislation%20and%20Issues%20for%20Congress,Prevention%20Act%20of%202015%20(P.L.

[4] Der Generalbundesanwalt beim Bundesgerichtshof. “Festnahme Eines Mutmaßlichen Mitglieds der Ausländischen Terroristischen Vereinigung „Hizb Allah “(„Hisbollah “).” Der Generalbundesanwalt Beim Bundesgerichtshof , 15 July 2024, www.generalbundesanwalt.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/DE/2024/Pressemitteilung-vom-15-07-2024.html?nn=478184.

[5] Mroue, Bassem. “Hezbollah Introduces New Weapons and Tactics against Israel as War in Gaza Drags On.” AP News, 17 May 2024, apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-hamas-gaza-drone-missiles-cd9f59ffa7f876aa755b3c6612246763.

[6] Mroue, Bassem. “Hezbollah Vows to Intensify Attacks against Israel after Senior Military Commander Is Killed.” AP News, 12 June 2024, apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-commander-killed-a404a607c3f96850d0dde1a5cc70c41b.

[7] “Lebanon’s Hezbollah Fires Dozens of Rockets at Israeli Kibbutz after Drone Strike Wounds Civilians.” AP News, 20 July 2024, apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-hamas-rockets-kibbutz-aacd476e74ef8db2791dca485a349763. ‌

[8] “H.R.2297 – Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 114th Congress (2015-2016).” Congress.gov, 18 Dec. 2015, www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2297#:~:text=2)%20This%20bill%20states%20that,Hizballah’s%20criminal%20activities%20in%20order.

[9] “H.Res.599 – Urging the European Union to Designate Hizballah in Its Entirety as a Terrorist Organization.” Congress.gov, 19 Oct. 2023, www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/599.

[10] “Treasury Announces 2024 National Illicit Finance Strategy.” U.S. Department of the Treasury, 16 May 2024, home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2346.