Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America

摘要

This report assesses the activities of organized crime groups, terrorist groups, and narcotics traffickers in general in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, focusing mainly on the period since 1999. Some of the related topics discussed, such as governmental and police corruption and anti-money-laundering laws, may also apply in part to the three TBA countries in general in addition to the TBA. This is unavoidable because the TBA cannot be discussed entirely as an isolated entity. Based entirely on open sources, this assessment has made extensive use of books, journal articles, and other reports available in the Library of Congress collections. It is based in part on the author's earlier research paper entitled 'Narcotics-Funded Terrorist/Extremist Groups in Latin America' (May 2002). It has also made extensive use of sources available on the Internet, including Argentine, Brazilian, and Paraguayan newspaper articles. One of the most relevant Spanish- language sources used for this assessment was Mariano Cesar Bartolome's paper entitled 'Amenazas a la seguridad de los estados: La triple frontera como 'area gris' en el cono sur americano' (Threats to the Security of States: The Triborder as a 'Grey Area' in the Southern Cone of South America) (2001). The selective bibliography includes books, journal articles, and other reports. Newspaper and magazine articles are footnoted. This report also includes an appendix containing brief profiles of six alleged operatives of Islamic fundamentalist groups in the TBA and a diagram of drug-trafficking routes in the region.