Paris, 10 December 2015

In a letter to OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, Simon Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels and Latin American Representative, Dr. Ariel Gelblung, noted a 1 December report of 5 Syrians holding stolen Greek passports, arrested and then released in Honduras, claiming the United States as their destination.

Apparently, these “asylum seekers” left Syria through Lebanon through Turkey via Brazil, Argentina and Costa Rica to Honduras where there is a large Middle East community.

Likewise, the 6 December arrest in Buenos Aires of 5 Syrians with Greek stolen passports. Sources point to their staying near a Jewish-owned hotel that hosts many community celebrations.

Another Syrian, wanted by INTERPOL for alleged links to ISIS, was arrested in Paraguay with another Greek stolen passport, asking for refuge in Argentina.

Two other Syrians were stopped on their way from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Colonia, Uruguay. On 7 December, these led to a Turkish citizen, who reportedly heads a trafficking network of Syrians given stolen Greek documents, on their way to the United States through Argentina and Brazil.

Gelblung emphasised that “these are not isolated incidents that reveal a well-planned modus operandi that must be taken very seriously by the governments of the Western hemisphere.”

Samuels added that “AMIA bombing investigation Prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, already pointed to mainly Hezbollah sleepers in 9 Latin American countries, including Honduras and the Triple Frontier between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay…,” continuing, “Argentina has been the main victim in the past and now seems, once again, to be a focal point. We call on newly-elected President Macri to take urgent measures to contain this threat.”

The Wiesenthal Centre officials appealed to the OAS to convene a special meeting of its 35 member-states on awakening Middle East terrorism in the Americas.