Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General for Hezbollah, appeared on Al-Manar television today dismissing as propaganda recent media reports alleging Hezbollah received funding through drug gangs. In the interview, Nasrallah also denied rumors that have circulated on a number of websites claiming that he was poisoned.
A segment from the interview can be viewed here.
On Tuesday, Colombian authorities announced that more than 100 individuals were arrested for invovment in a drug and money-laundering scheme that stretched from South America to Asia. Among those arrested were three men believed to have been involved in channeling funds to Hezbollah and other groups.
Hezbollah has long been believed to be involved in the drug trade in South America. As a non-state entity that continues to endeavor to finance both its social and military branches, it's safe to assume the group will not shy away from black market activity any time in the near future. Ironically, the group has acquired increased political gravity as participants in a democratically elected state political system in Lebanon, making any involvement in such activity unattractive. If anything, Nasrallah's televised denial reveals the need to quell such negative perceptions of the group, especially with the 2009 election year quickly approaching in Lebanon.
