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Unmasking Hezbollah - Episode 1 - Project Cassandra

April 18, 2024

In 2008, the United States launched "Project Cassandra". The aim was to uncover how Hezbollah uses drug trafficking and money laundering to finance its military and terrorist activities.

https://p.dw.com/p/4eaMy
Unmasking Hezbollah - Episode 1 - Project Cassandra
Image: Java

The three-part series tells the story of the project.

By 2008, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had gathered sufficient evidence to show that Hezbollah had transformed from a military and political organization into an international crime syndicate. They were making billions from drug and arms trafficking, money laundering and other criminal activities. "Project Cassandra" was the ambitious, top-secret project designed to stop them. 

Unmasking Hezbollah - Episode 1 - Project Cassandra
A massive explosion devastated Beirut.Image: Java

On 4 August 2020, the city of Beirut was devastated by the explosion of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate stored in the port. All eyes turned to Hezbollah, a Shiite party and militia linked to Iran that controls a large part of Lebanon. Despite pressure from both citizens and the international community, Hezbollah (literally: the "party of God") refused to allow any independent investigation into the causes of the explosion. 

Hezbollah emerged in 1982 as a resistance organization against the Israeli occupation. Even then, it was supported by Iran. For 40 years, its fighters have infiltrated all areas of the Lebanese state and risen to become the country’s dominant force. 

Unmasking Hezbollah - Episode 1 - Project Cassandra
Money seized by the authoritiesImage: Java

In the mid-2000s, however, a handful of police officers from the American Drug Enforcement Agency (D.E.A.) attempted to bring down Hezbollah. They operated in the greatest secrecy. The code name of their operation: Cassandra. Their investigation begins in the United States, in the still-smoldering ruins of the World Trade Center. 

The three-part series tells the story of "Project Cassandra," based on the testimony of DEA agents and other people involved. It also tells the story of the rise of Hezbollah and provides insights into complex geopolitical contexts. 

Broadcasting Hours: 

DW English

SAT 04.05.2024 – 11:03 UTC
SAT 04.05.2024 – 22:03 UTC
SUN 05.05.2024 – 05:03 UTC

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