Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: “because Islamist terrorism anywhere is a threat to free people everywhere, I ask my colleagues to render their strong…”

“because Islamist terrorism anywhere is a threat to free people everywhere, I ask my colleagues to render their strong support of H. Con. Res. 338. This resolution which I drafted with the distinguished Ranking Member of the House International Relations Committee, and which enjoys the support of both Chairman Burton and Ranking Member Engel of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, calls for a preventive approach to rising threats in our hemisphere. Islamist terrorist activity in our Hemisphere has been increasing and becoming more prominent for at least 15 years. Reports document that Hezbollah is active in the triborder area of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, raising money to support its murderous acts and recruiting people to carry them out. Hamas and the Egyptian Islamic Group also reportedly maintain a presence in Latin America, and al-Qaeda is active there, too. Although such activity is dominated by financing and money laundering, these Islamist extremists have not hesitated in launching direct attacks as well. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Argentina was bombed, killing 29 people and wounding almost 250. In 1994, terrorists linked to Hezbollah and the Iranian regime, bombed the MIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 and wounding over 300. Islamist jihadists often use countries in the Western Hemisphere as staging areas for entry into the United States.…”