Iran Extends Reach Into Nigeria, Working With Militants To Undermine West -- FOX News
Iran's influence is increasingly extending into western Africa, where its operatives in Nigeria are gathering intelligence on U.S. and European targets, according to a new analysis exclusively previewed by Fox News.
The troubling development was highlighted in the CTC Sentinel, a journal published by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, and set for release Thursday. Oil-rich Nigeria is host to many Western-based companies, and has been the scene of ongoing violence between Muslims and Christians. But word that Iran is working with Muslim militants to undermine the interests of the U.S. and its allies comes even as the Obama administration has sought a thawing in relations with Tehran.
"In recent years, Iran's Quds Force and Lebanese [Hezbollah] have coordinated intelligence gathering on U.S. and Israeli targets in Nigeria," Jacob Zenn wrote in an article titled, "The Islamic Movement and Iranian Intelligence Activities in Nigeria."
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My Comment: Boko Haram's anti-western philosophy mirrors much of what radical Islamists in Iran have been preaching for years .... so this "relationship" should not surprise anyone. But this Iranian/Hezbollah involvement is probably going to backfire on them .... Boko Haram's violent attacks has greatly undermined popular support for Boko Haram .... and as a result Iran/Hezbollah/and other militant groups have in turn lost favor among many Nigerians.
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