Militancy/Terrorism

08
Nov 2021
15:14 UTC

Africa Alert: Alleged Iranian plot to attack Israeli nationals foiled in Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, as per November 7 reports

Please be advised

  • Reports by Israeli media outlets on November 7 indicate that an Iranian plot to attack Israeli businesspeople and tourists in Ghana, Senegal, and Tanzania was foiled, with Western intelligence services providing information as well as Israeli intelligence agencies.
  • According to these reports, five suspects holding unspecified African passports were recruited by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force and brought to Lebanon for training before traveling to the three countries.
  • The reports further note that the suspects were intended to locate potential targets for attacks, which included Israeli tourists on safari in Tanzania as well as Israeli and Jewish businesspeople in Ghana and Senegal.
  • The intelligence services of the three countries were said to have arrested these suspects before the plans fully evolved. The exact date of the suspects’ arrests is unclear as of the time of writing, but the reports say that the individuals are still being questioned.
  • Iranian officials reportedly denied the allegations and called them “baseless”.

Assessments & Forecast

  1. These reports come as Israeli authorities remain on high alert concerning potential Iranian plots to target Israeli civilians and economic interests, following another thwarted Iranian plot to assassinate Israeli businessmen in Cyprus in October as well as in Colombia in June. It additionally follows several Iranian attacks targeting maritime vessels linked to an Israeli businessman in July. This suggests that Iran seeks to conduct similar attacks against Israeli civilian targets worldwide in areas where it perceives a gap in security. This is also the second time this year that Israeli and Western intelligence agencies reportedly helped to prevent Iranian plots in Africa, with reports in February claiming joint Intelligence agencies had foiled planned attacks by Iranian-backed cells against the Israeli, US, and UAE embassies in Ethiopia and Sudan.
  2. Moreover, reports in recent weeks reveal the increasing role of Hezbollah, closely linked to Iran, in diverting illicit smuggling routes through West African countries over the past year. Hezbollah is also known to maintain extensive outreach programs with the relatively large Lebanese diaspora populations in the region, which have been identified as critical cogs for financing Hezbollah and Iranian militancy, with funds mobilized through these channels being linked to plots against Israeli interests inside and outside Africa. The large concentration of Lebanese diaspora in the region is likely to facilitate attempts by Iran or Hezbollah to recruit individuals carrying local African passports, to transfer them for training in Lebanon, or to use them for clandestine operations. More recently, the IRGC’s Quds Force has also been accused of providing technical and financial assistance to Shiite organizations across the continent to expand their regional influence.
  3. FORECAST: While previous Iranian-linked plots in Africa have largely been limited to suspected operations in East Africa, a similar threat extends across the continent in alignment with the patterns seen globally. Although the details regarding the latest foiled plots remain unconfirmed, the precedent of Iranian and Hezbollah involvement in attacks against Israeli civilians and interests across the world, there is a heightened potential of Iran planning additional attacks in Africa. This could also manifest as the targeting of US, Saudi, or UAE interests, as seen in February. With countries across the continent warned of the Iranian militancy threat, Israeli security agencies are likely to increase alertness in countries hosting Israeli diplomatic missions as well as popular tourist destinations. Given the likelihood that Iran organizes several separate plots in the region simultaneously, governments across Africa are likely to increase cooperation with Israeli and other foreign intelligence partners to thwart any further Iranian plots to target Israeli, US, Saudi, or UAE interests.

Recommendations

  1. Israeli citizens are advised to keep a low profile and maintain heightened vigilance while traveling abroad in light of the overall threat. Non-Israeli individuals who could be mistakenly identified as Israeli, particularly those wearing traditional Jewish dress, are advised to exercise vigilance as well.
  2. Remain cognizant of your surroundings, including any suspicious behavior of individuals, which may include a person wearing winter clothing during warm weather and/or seemingly wandering around, as well as items that look out of place, such as bags or containers.
  3. Immediately alert authorities of any suspicious behavior or items. Ensure that places of stay are properly secured, alter travel routes, and avoid disclosing sensitive itinerary information to unknown individuals.
  4. Remain cognizant of local political, religious, and social customs while traveling in the region and avoid discussing potentially sensitive topics, such as Israeli-Iranian relations, with locals as this may attract confrontational behavior.
  5. Companies that are not Israeli-owned but employ Israeli nationals are also advised to be cognizant of these risks when considering plans for itineraries and other safety and security measures.
AFFECTED AREA Africa
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE Unconfirmed

Please be advised

  • Reports by Israeli media outlets on November 7 indicate that an Iranian plot to attack Israeli businesspeople and tourists in Ghana, Senegal, and Tanzania was foiled, with Western intelligence services providing information as well as Israeli intelligence agencies.
  • According to these reports, five suspects holding unspecified African passports were recruited by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force and brought to Lebanon for training before traveling to the three countries.
  • The reports further note that the suspects were intended to locate potential targets for attacks, which included Israeli tourists on safari in Tanzania as well as Israeli and Jewish businesspeople in Ghana and Senegal.
  • The intelligence services of the three countries were said to have arrested these suspects before the plans fully evolved. The exact date of the suspects’ arrests is unclear as of the time of writing, but the reports say that the individuals are still being questioned.
  • Iranian officials reportedly denied the allegations and called them “baseless”.

Assessments & Forecast

  1. These reports come as Israeli authorities remain on high alert concerning potential Iranian plots to target Israeli civilians and economic interests, following another thwarted Iranian plot to assassinate Israeli businessmen in Cyprus in October as well as in Colombia in June. It additionally follows several Iranian attacks targeting maritime vessels linked to an Israeli businessman in July. This suggests that Iran seeks to conduct similar attacks against Israeli civilian targets worldwide in areas where it perceives a gap in security. This is also the second time this year that Israeli and Western intelligence agencies reportedly helped to prevent Iranian plots in Africa, with reports in February claiming joint Intelligence agencies had foiled planned attacks by Iranian-backed cells against the Israeli, US, and UAE embassies in Ethiopia and Sudan.
  2. Moreover, reports in recent weeks reveal the increasing role of Hezbollah, closely linked to Iran, in diverting illicit smuggling routes through West African countries over the past year. Hezbollah is also known to maintain extensive outreach programs with the relatively large Lebanese diaspora populations in the region, which have been identified as critical cogs for financing Hezbollah and Iranian militancy, with funds mobilized through these channels being linked to plots against Israeli interests inside and outside Africa. The large concentration of Lebanese diaspora in the region is likely to facilitate attempts by Iran or Hezbollah to recruit individuals carrying local African passports, to transfer them for training in Lebanon, or to use them for clandestine operations. More recently, the IRGC’s Quds Force has also been accused of providing technical and financial assistance to Shiite organizations across the continent to expand their regional influence.
  3. FORECAST: While previous Iranian-linked plots in Africa have largely been limited to suspected operations in East Africa, a similar threat extends across the continent in alignment with the patterns seen globally. Although the details regarding the latest foiled plots remain unconfirmed, the precedent of Iranian and Hezbollah involvement in attacks against Israeli civilians and interests across the world, there is a heightened potential of Iran planning additional attacks in Africa. This could also manifest as the targeting of US, Saudi, or UAE interests, as seen in February. With countries across the continent warned of the Iranian militancy threat, Israeli security agencies are likely to increase alertness in countries hosting Israeli diplomatic missions as well as popular tourist destinations. Given the likelihood that Iran organizes several separate plots in the region simultaneously, governments across Africa are likely to increase cooperation with Israeli and other foreign intelligence partners to thwart any further Iranian plots to target Israeli, US, Saudi, or UAE interests.

Recommendations

  1. Israeli citizens are advised to keep a low profile and maintain heightened vigilance while traveling abroad in light of the overall threat. Non-Israeli individuals who could be mistakenly identified as Israeli, particularly those wearing traditional Jewish dress, are advised to exercise vigilance as well.
  2. Remain cognizant of your surroundings, including any suspicious behavior of individuals, which may include a person wearing winter clothing during warm weather and/or seemingly wandering around, as well as items that look out of place, such as bags or containers.
  3. Immediately alert authorities of any suspicious behavior or items. Ensure that places of stay are properly secured, alter travel routes, and avoid disclosing sensitive itinerary information to unknown individuals.
  4. Remain cognizant of local political, religious, and social customs while traveling in the region and avoid discussing potentially sensitive topics, such as Israeli-Iranian relations, with locals as this may attract confrontational behavior.
  5. Companies that are not Israeli-owned but employ Israeli nationals are also advised to be cognizant of these risks when considering plans for itineraries and other safety and security measures.
AFFECTED AREA Africa
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE Unconfirmed

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