Brazil nabs ex-Hezbollah man wanted for drug trafficking

BRASILIA: In a continued roundup of suspects linked to terrorism ahead of the Rio Olympics, Brazilian police arrested a Lebanese man who was a former member of the militant group Hezbollah and wanted for drug trafficking.

Fadi Hassan Nabha, 42, was arrested on Thursday at his home in Caieiras, a suburb of Sao Paulo, on orders from the justice ministry that has been seeking to expel him from Brazil, a spokesman for the military police said.

Nabha served in Hezbollah’s special services and had weapons and explosives training.

He has been on Interpol’s wanted list since 2013 for drug trafficking.

Brazil’s Federal Police declined to comment on his connection to Hezbollah.

The Olympic Games will open on Friday in Rio amid heightened security measures and concerns about Islamist violence following attacks in European cities.

Brazilian authorities have stepped up arrests of anyone suspected of links to the Islamic State. – Reuters