U.S. intel: Hizbullah serving as contractor for Iran's IRGC in Iraq

[ErnstBlofeld]

GeopStrategy Direct:

 

The U.S. military and intelligence community have assessed that the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah was conducting espionage and other operations in Iraq.

Officials said Hizbullah was being used as a contractor for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

 

"In Iraq, we are also aware of Hizbullah providing training and other support to Shia militant groups," State Department counter-terrorism coordinator Daniel Benjamin said.

 

 

In testimony to a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on June 8, Benjamin said IRGC was known to have used Hizbullah to train Shi'ite militias since at least 2007. The official said Hizbullah was working through an IRGC liasion identified as Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis.

 

"As of early 2007, an Iran-based individual by the name of Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis formed a militia group, employing instructors from Hizbullah to prepare this group and certain Jaysh Al Mahdi Special Groups for attacks against coalition forces in Iraq," Benjamin said.

 

Officials said Hizbullah's operations in Iraq reflected IRGC policy that the militia expand beyond that of Lebanon. They cited Hizbullah activities in Egypt, Gaza Strip, Kuwait and Africa.

 

"Hizbullah's destabilizing actions also have a global reach," Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman said. "The recent conviction of a Hizbullah cell in Egypt for spying, plotting attacks on resorts frequented by tourists, and arms smuggling illustrates Hizbullah's growing regional reach and ambitions."

 

The Defense Department has also reported Hizbullah activities in Iraq. The Pentagon said Hizbullah was relaying methods and technology used in Lebanon during the war with Israel in 2006.

 

"Lebanese Hizbullah has trained Iraqi insurgents in Iraq, Iran and Lebanon, providing them with the training, tactics and technology to conduct kidnappings, small unit tactical operations and employ sophisticated improvised explosive devices, incorporating lessons learned from operations in southern Lebanon," a Pentagon report said in April 2010.

 

Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Ryan Crocker said Hizbullah has long been operating in Iraq. A U.S. ambassador to Baghdad until 2009, Crocker said Iran and Hizbullah have been coordinating in the arming and training of Shi'ite militias.

 

"For Iran and Syria, Hizbullah has been a valuable proxy," Crocker said.

 

Crocker said Iran has also worked with Hizbullah and Syria to destabilize Iraq. He said Teheran assigned Hizbullah to mentor Shi'ite militias while the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad supported Al Qaida in Iraq.

 

"In essence, they were following the Lebanon game plan of the 1980s," Crocker said. "It almost succeeded, but the surge and the determination of the Iraqis themselves confounded the effort, at least for the time being."