TerrorismTehran has set up network of terror cells in Africa to attack U.S., Western targets
As part of its broad response to the increasing severity of the Western economic sanctions, Iran has been setting up a sprawling network of terror cells throughout Africa. The cells, operated by the Quds Force, the branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps which is responsible for overseas operations, aim to attack U.S. and other Western targets, at the time and place of Tehran’s choosing, in retaliation for the sanctions – let alone a military strike by the United States or Israel.
As part of its broad response to the increasing severity of the Western economic sanctions, Iran has been setting up a sprawling network of terror cells throughout Africa. The cells, operated by the Quds Force, the branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps which is responsible for overseas operations, aim to attack U.S. and other Western targets, at the time and place of Tehran’s choosing, in retaliation for the sanctions – let alone a military strike by the United States or Israel.
The Iranian terrorists plan to attack not only Western embassies and economic mission offices, but also military bases operated by the United States and other Western powers.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Iranian terror cells are already active in Sudan, Chad, Ghana, Niger, Gambia, and the Central African Republic.
“Iran is setting up a new terrorist infrastructure in Africa with the aim of attacking Western targets,” a senior Western security source told theDaily Telegraph. “It is all part of Tehran’s attempts to expand its terrorist operations across the globe.”
Senior Western intelligence officials noted that Iran has begun to build its terror network in 2015, shortly after signing the nuclear deal with the P5 + 1 – the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany.
The Africa operation is being overseen by Unit 400, a specialized section of the Quds Force.
Western intelligence services learned more about the scale and reach of the Iranian network after a series of arrests in Chad in April.
Intelligence officials told the Daily Telegraph that cell commanders have been busy recruiting and training local men between the ages of 25-35, to use them to carry out terror attacks against Western targets on the continent.
These officials say that they estimate that the Revolutionary Guard has so far recruited around 300 militants who have been recruited by the Revolutionary Guard and have undergone rigorous training at Iranian-run training camps in Syria and Iraq. The last group of recruits was trained at an Iranian base in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf.
Iran has been setting up terrorist cells not only in Africa. Earlier this months, British security services caught Iran-linked terrorists who were stockpiling tons of explosives on the outskirts of London. That cell, too, was set up in 2015, immediately after the signing of the nuclear deal.
