US official alleges Hezbollah stashed ammonium nitrate throughout Europe
The claim came amid a Trump administration push for the EU to fully designate Hezbollah's political wing a terrorist group.
A senior US official has accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah of stockpiling ammonium nitrate at sites in multiple European countries amid a push to get the European Union to designate the organization’s political wing as a terrorist group.
The US State Department’s top counterterrorism official, Nathan Sales, told the American Jewish Committee on Thursday that Hezbollah had transported ammonium nitrate caches via Belgium into France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Greece.
“Since 2012, Hezbollah has established caches of ammonium nitrate throughout Europe, by transporting first-aid kits whose cold packs contain the substance,” Sales told reporters on a conference call.
“I can also reveal that significant ammonium nitrate caches have been discovered or destroyed in France, Greece and Italy,” Sales said. “We have reason to believe that this activity is still under way. Ammonium nitrate caches are still suspected throughout Europe,” particularly in Greece, Italy and Spain, he said, providing no further details.
