Overview

Amer Akil Rada is a Colombian-Lebanese dual national who runs a South American import-export business suspected of funneling money to Hezbollah. Akil Rada previously served in a senior operational role in South America for Hezbollah’s External Security Organization, which oversees the group’s operations outside of Lebanon. According to the U.S. government, Akil Rada was based in South America for more than a decade before returning to Lebanon.Joseph M. Humire, “The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime,” Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime; “Specially Designated National List Update,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 12, 2023, https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230912; “Treasury Designates Hizballah Operatives and Financial Facilitators in South America and Lebanon,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 12, 2023, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1726. Akil Rada is the head of a family of Lebanese ex-patriates called the Akil Rada clan, which runs a diverse array of businesses across South America and allegedly transfers large sums of money from its profits to Hezbollah. Akil Rada is also suspected of involvement in Hezbollah’s 1992 attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Hezbollah’s 1994 attack on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) community center in Buenos Aires.Joseph M. Humire, “The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime,” Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime/; Ximena Herrera, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Dangerous Relationship Between Venezuela, Iran and Hezbollah,” Iran Wire, December 9, 2020, https://iranwire.com/en/features/8268. The United States accuses Akil Rada of being one of the “operational members” of Hezbollah behind the AMIA bombing.“Treasury Designates Hizballah Operatives and Financial Facilitators in South America and Lebanon,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 12, 2023, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1726.

On July 18, 1994, a suicide bomber exploded at the AMIA, killing 85 people and wounding 300.“Argentina Passes Iran Amia Deal,” BBC News, February 28, 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21612517; “Treasury Targets Senior Hizballah Operative for Perpetrating and Plotting Terrorist Attacks in the Western Hemisphere,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 19, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm737. Israeli investigators reportedly identified Salman Raouf Salman as the coordinator of the attack.Matthew Levitt, “How Trump Is Going After Hezbollah in America’s Backyard,” Politico, November 30, 2017, https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/30/donald-trump-hezbollah-latin-america-215987/. Argentine security officials accused Salman of overseeing Hezbollah “sleeper cells in Buenos Aires and the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.”“Treasury Targets Senior Hizballah Operative for Perpetrating and Plotting Terrorist Attacks in the Western Hemisphere,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 19, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm737. Prior to the attack, Akil Rada allegedly worked closely with Salman to identify various potential targets in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela.Joseph M. Humire, “The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime,” Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime/. Akil Rada is also suspected of transferring the detonators to Argentina for the bombing.“Investigación vincula a libanés Amer Mohamed Akil Rada, con negocios en Venezuela, en atentado contra la AMIA en Argentina,” El Publique, October 12,2020, https://www.elpublique.me/2020/10/investigacion-vincula-libanes-amer.html. He is also suspected of involvement in Hezbollah’s March 17, 1992, attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which killed 23 and wounded 242.Matthew Levitt, “Hezbollah’s 1992 Attack in Argentina Is a Warning for Modern-Day Europe,” Atlantic, March 19, 2013, http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/hezbollahs-1992-attack-in-argentina-is-a-warning-for-modern-day-europe/274160/; Joseph M. Humire, “The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime,” Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime.

Akil Rada financed Hezbollah through the creation of multiple import-export companies in Panama, sending textiles to Colombia and charcoal to Lebanon. As much as 80 percent of the proceeds from the companies were reportedly used to support Hezbollah.Joseph M. Humire, “The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime,” Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime. Akil Rada also reportedly conducted business in Belize and Costa Rica.Daniel Santoro, “Un dossier vincula a un libanés que tiene negocios con el chavismo al atentado contra la AMIA,” Clarin, October 9, 2020, https://www.clarin.com/politica/dossier-vincula-libanes-negocios-chavismo-atentado-amia_0_1HJ2ul3bd.html. The Akil Rada clan is one of a handful of Lebanese families in South America accused of providing support for Hezbollah and allegedly linked to the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.Joseph M. Humire, “The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime,” Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime.

According to Argentine and Colombian authorities, in addition to transferring portions of their business profits to Hezbollah, the Akil Rada clan has also aided Hezbollah in smuggling cocaine into Lebanon.“Investigación vincula a libanés Amer Mohamed Akil Rada, con negocios en Venezuela, en atentado contra la AMIA en Argentina,” El Publique, October 12,2020, https://www.elpublique.me/2020/10/investigacion-vincula-libanes-amer.html; “Treasury Targets Senior Hizballah Operative for Perpetrating and Plotting Terrorist Attacks in the Western Hemisphere,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 19, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm737. In Venezuela, the Akil Rada clan is reportedly profiting from cryptocurrencies.Ximena Herrera, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Dangerous Relationship Between Venezuela, Iran and Hezbollah,” Iran Wire, December 9, 2020, https://iranwire.com/en/features/8268. Akil Rada’s brother Samer Akil Rada heads the family’s cryptocurrency business, which helps the Maduro regime evade international sanctions. Amer Akil Rada reportedly disappeared from the public eye in 2014 but allegedly maintains contact with Hezbollah and Salman in particular.Silvia Schnessel, “Vinculan a libanés, ligado hoy al chavismo, al atentado a la AMIA,” Enlace Judío, October 12, 2020, https://www.enlacejudio.com/2020/10/12/vinculan-a-libanes-ligado-hoy-al-chavismo-al-atentado-a-la-amia/.

On September 12, 2023, the United States designated Akil Rada under Executive Order 13224 as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for his role as a senior Hezbollah operative and involvement in the AMIA attack. The United States also designated Akil Rada’s brother, Samer Akil Rada, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of Hezbollah. According to the U.S. government, Samer Akil Rada is a member of Hezbollah who is also linked to drug trafficking and money laundering in Latin America. He is the general manager and CEO of Venezuela-based BCI Technologies C.A., which the United States also sanctioned. The United States also designated Amer Akil Rada’s son, Mahdy Akil Helbawi, for conducting business in Colombia on his father’s behalf. Helbawi is the CEO and founder of Zanga S.A.S., a Colombia-based charcoal company that has been the main supplier of companies controlled by individuals in Akil Rada’s network. The United States also sanctioned Zanga S.A.S.“Specially Designated National List Update,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 12, 2023, https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230912.