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AFP
Washington
The US Justice Department announced Thursday creation of a special task force to investigate what it called"narcoterrorism"by the powerful Lebanese movement Hezbollah.
The unit will comprise specialists on money-laundering, drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime, targeting Iran ally Hezbollah's sprawling network, whose reach extends across Africa and into Central and South America, the department said."The Justice Department will leave no stone unturned in order to eliminate threats to our citizens from terrorist organizations and to stem the tide of the devastating drug crisis,"said Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
"The team will initiate prosecutions that will restrict flow of money to foreign terror organizations as well as disrupt violent international drug trafficking operations."The move comes amid a stepped-up effort to battle Iran's growing influence in the Middle East and the expanded military capabilities of Hezbollah, a dominant force in Lebanese politics.
