Argentinian authorities have arrested three men holding Syrian and Lebanese citizenship on suspicion of conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack on a Jewish sporting event.
The country's security authorities have been on high alert as Buenos Aires hosts the Pan-American Maccabi Games, expecting thousands of participants from around the world.
According to Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, the three men arrived in Argentina on different flights and booked a hotel “two blocks from the Israeli Embassy". Additionally, authorities are examining a 35-kilogram package that was in transit from Yemen to one of the men.
One of the country's worst tragedies occurred in 1994 when the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association, a Jewish community center, was the target of a bloody attack, resulting in 85 fatalities and over 300 injuries. In 2006, Argentinian courts pressed charges against eight present and former high-ranking Iranian officials, alongside a Lebanese national, in connection with the attack.
According to a statement from Argentina's Federal Police, "Indications arose of the possible entry into the country of three citizens of Syrian and Lebanese origin who, after arriving on different flights, were to meet in the city of Buenos Aires to plan an eventual terrorist act." The precise timing of the arrests remains unspecified.
Bullrich informed the media that the suspects had previously entered Argentina using passports from other countries. She mentioned that the disclosure of their identities would occur once verification is complete.
The development follows Brazil's federal police arresting at least three individuals, dismantling a suspected cell associated with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, based on information provided by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. One of the detainees in Brazil had documented photos and videos of two synagogues and a Jewish cemetery in Brasilia.
In December, Israel helped Cyprus foil an Iranian-ordered attack against Israelis and Jews. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said such plots were on the rise since the Gaza war broke out in October.