The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino, rejected an alleged political use of the operation that arrested two suspects of planning terrorist attacks in Brazil — possibly linked to Hezbollah — by the Israeli government. In a post on social media this Thursday (9/11), Dino declared that he appreciates international cooperation, but rejected the political use of the action and the anticipation of information by the Israelis.
Hezbollah, a terrorist group based in Lebanon, is one of the groups involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the Gaza Strip. Although there is no declared war against the group, fighting and missile attacks have occurred. In the post, Dino clarified that the investigations in Brazil have nothing to do with the war in the Middle East, that “no foreign force rules the Federal Police” and that foreign leaders cannot anticipate the results of investigations that are still ongoing.
“Brazil is a sovereign country. Legal and police cooperation exists on a broad basis, with countries of different ideological hues, based on international agreements. No foreign force rules the Brazilian Federal Police. And no representative of a foreign government can claim anticipate the results of an investigation conducted by the Federal Police, which is still ongoing”, wrote the Minister of Justice on his account on X (formerly Twitter).
Yesterday (8), an operation launched by the PF arrested two suspects of planning terrorist attacks in Brazil against Jewish community institutions. The suspicion is that both are linked to Hezbollah, and that the terrorist organization is recruiting Brazilians. The PF worked in cooperation with Mossad, the Israeli secret service.
Dino also stressed that the arrest warrants served yesterday originated from the Brazilian Judiciary, and that it is the duty of the Federal Police to investigate the evidence. PF operations began before the conflict, which has lasted more than a month.
“We appreciate appropriate international cooperation, but we reject any foreign authority considering directing Brazilian police bodies, or using investigations that we are responsible for for the purposes of promoting their political interests”, Dino further countered. According to him, the results of the PF investigation, technical and exempt, will be sent to the Judiciary with evidence exclusively produced by the Brazilian authorities.
Netanyahu confirmed Mossad participation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the operation yesterday. “Mossad thanks the Brazilian security services for the arrest of a terrorist cell that was operated by Hezbollah for attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in Brazil,” said Netanyahu, also on X. “Considering the background of the war in Gaza against the terrorist organization Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian regime continue to operate around the world to attack Israeli, Jewish and Western targets,” he added. Israel accuses Iran of financing and operating Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanon, which Iran denies.
The government’s concern with Israel’s statements is that it could affect Brazil’s diplomatic position, which does not endorse either side in the war and defends the ceasefire, especially given the high number of victims in Gaza – more than 10 thousand people They have already been killed in bombings and in the Israeli invasion.
