And to washington and i look forward to chatting with you later today. So please reporters, behave. We have students in the room. We have some other guests here as well and i would like to welcome the director of the National Counterterrorism center. Like me, he is from wisconsin. Maiden name as his name as well. So, welcome. Director rasmussen of the and ctc in 2014 sworn in, today he will supply Additional Information on hezbollahs worldwide activity. I will also introduce you to our coordinatoror, the for counterterrorism, he is to my right. He joined the department in departmentleads the and the whole of government effort in counterterrorism abroad. I will start with director rasmussen and when we wrap up we will take your questions and i will do a little moderation and take your questions after that. Great. Thank you for that introduction, heather. As heather suggested, my role is to ride you with some background on the activity we see from hezbollah globally and here in the homeland. Thehere to testify about groups operations worldwide. There are three recurring themes. First, hezbollahs use of terrorism across the globe which has proceeded for several decades. Continued efforts to advance terrorism worldwide in third, the fact that it is focused on u. S. In the motherland and that is why we today. E hezbollah has repeatedly demonstrated its true character. It is an organization that relies on terrorism and coercion to achieve its goals. In spite oflace efforts to portray itself as a legitimate political party. Mayor to september 11, think Everybody Knows hezbollah was responsible for the death of more u. S. Citizens than any other terrorist organization. For many americans, this came after the hezbollah attack on the American Embassy in beirut in 1983. It killed 63 and wounded 120. It was followed by a more deadly attack in october 1983 which killed41 americans manymericans and wounded as well. Weve seen time and again from this International Terrorism movement the Islamic Jihad organization. 910, in its deployment to nearly every corner of the globe continues to engage in terrorismrelated activity. In 2012, an attack in bulgaria killed others. Laying the groundwork for attacks in egypt, thailand, cyprus, peru. Other incidents of hezbollah, related arrests around the world that are at this point on publicizing and remain unpublicized and unknown. I can ensure you the conversation today will be much different. Exceeded,these has casualty counts would be higher and many innocent lives would be forever altered. The group is known to concentrate on areas populated with tourists, knowing that innocent civilians will be victims. Let me say this, while much of focused on al qaeda and more recently on isis, the designation as a foreign terrorist organization, we have never taken our focus off hezbollah and the threat it poses to our homeland. Im not here to talk about any specific or credible threat but we do see specific activity on behalf of hezbollah in the homeland. We are watching very closely for additional signs of activity here in the homeland. In june, as im sure much of you are aware, to individuals conducting activities on behalf of hezbollah were arrested here in the United States and that made a strike at their aspirations to carry out attacks here in the homeland. Assessment is that the hezbollah is determined to give itself a potential homeland option in its terrorism by book and that is something those of us in the Counterterrorism Community take very seriously. With the focus on al qaeda and syria, i can assure you that those of us since 9 11 have never taken our eye off the hezbollah threat. We will continue to monitor closely hezbollah activity around the world and will work closely to disrupt any activity in our borders. Hezbollah has not limited its areas outside of lebanon. It has repeatedly turned its weapon on the people of lebanon i will take a quick moment to highlight a few of the most egregious act. Detonating a bomb outside a bank in beirut. Killing the head of lebanons intelligent Security Forces branch. Taking over parts of beirut, killing at least 84 lebanese citizens and wounding another 199 after the government attempted to conduct greater oversight into the organizations infrastructure. It is fascinated former Prime Minister in a massive car bombing in downtown beirut. Former primeed minister in a massive car bombing. It has made significant indigenouso produce weapons production facilities broadening the threat to the Eastern Mediterranean and regions. It is in violation of Un Security Council lucian Resolutions Council resolutions. By hezbollah has perpetuated violence across the middle east in places like iraq and yemen when they provide weapons packets and weapons to the militia groups. They have also sent thousands of fighters to syria where there have been roughly 2000 casualties on those fighting on behalf of the syrian regime. We will continue to work aggressively with our foreign, u. S. , state, and local partners to share information that will allow us to detect a threat posed to the u. S. Or our interests around the world. Is a critical component of our response to what hezbollah is doing around the globe. Intelligencee Community Remains focused on doing whatever we can to disrupt intelligenceoreign organizations around the world and most certainly can homeland. The work i talked about today to counter hezbollah is a big effort in that regard. Ofis every much a bit priority as our work against al qaeda and isis. That goes on around the globe aggressively every day. I will stop there and turn it over to the ambassador. Good afternoon, everyone. This past weekend mark a 20th anniversary of the United States designating hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization. With backing from its patron, the iranian regime, hezbollah remains one of the worlds most dangerous terrorist organizations. It conducts destabilizing activities across the globe. These threats hezbollah poses to this country were underscored in june when the fbi arrested to a legend operatives, one in new york and one in michigan. They were hezbollah has a truly global reach. In the past several years, we have seen the group launch an attack in bulgaria. Undertake to separate plots and cyprus. Develop large caches of weapons in kuwait and nigeria. Weve seen it send operatives to peru and thailand. That can leave no doubt about hezbollahs true nature and invitations. Intentions. And intentions. Countering hezbollah, today im announcing rewards for two senior hezbollah leaders under program. Ds and justice first, the department is offering a reward of up to seven my dollars for information leading to the location, arrest, or conviction in any country of a man linked to several terrorist attacks, hijackings, and kidnappings. He leads hezbollahs International Terrorist unit. Responsible for planning and conducting terrorist attacks outside of lebanon. These attacks are targeting primarily of americans and israelis. Were also offering a reward of up to five main dollars for information leading to the location, arrest, and conviction a senioruntry of military commander of hezbollahs forces in lebanon who is also the member of a jihad counsel, hezbollahs highest military body. This man plays a key role in operations in syria and he helped launch the 1983 attack on u. S. Marine corps barracks in a root that killed 241 of our marines. That killed 241 of our marines. Todays announcement is just one part of our effort to counter hezbollah activities. Until hezbollah stopped using terrorism and violence to achieve its goals, the United States and our allies will aggressively target terrorism infrastructure and networks. Let me describe some of our other efforts to combat hezbollah. Since its designation in 1990 seven, where prosecutors approximately 21 cases in the United States of hezbollah members. The u. S. Government has designated more than 100 people and entities associated with hezbollah around the world. These include financial facilitators, the perpetrators of the 2012 attack in bulgaria and Senior Leaders of the organization. It also includes these two who 2015. Esonated in 2012 and not theed states is only country to understand hezbollahs true nature. In recent years the gulf council and arab league have designated hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The United States, the e. U. , canada, and new zealand. Much progress has been made but more work remains to be done. Hezbollah is not subject to u. N. Sanctions. Regional or National Level and south america, africa, or Southeast Asia where the group is active. Additionally, some countries have chosen to only designate hezbollahs military wing leaving its clinical wing untouched. That is a false distinction. Make no mistake, hezbollah has no political wing. It is a terrorist organization, rotten to its core. This limits other government ability to freeze hezbollahs assets, shut down its front companies, close down its recruiting efforts. The United States will need allies in this fight. That of already sanctioned hezbollah, we applaud them for taking this step and we urge them to further disrupt the groups activities. We invite the countries yet to do so to step up and help us confront this common threat. In particular, we urge them to join the coordination group. A platform for Strong Corporation among 25 countries confronted by this threat. Concluded it is important to recall hezbollah has not developed its military and terrorist capabilities on its own. It has become the global threat it is today for one reason. Abiding into deep assistance. Iran has helped to build it throughout the world. This is come at the expense of the arabian people whose to toces are being diver support hezbollahs bloody cause and at the expense of lebanon, which has suffered grievously from the partnership. The people of iran and lebanon deserve better than this. For justice is another important step in our Ongoing Campaign to counter hezbollahs wideranging activities. Working with our partners, we will confront hezbollah across the globe and deny the resources it needs to carry out its deadly attack and bring its leaders and operators to justice. Thank you. A couple minutes to take questions. Thank you. This is for either one of you i guess. Ambassador, it might be for you. The government of lebanon, you say there is no political wing or organization. This is all terrorism organization. As you know, there are members of hezbollah that our cabinet ministers in the lebanese that are cap who are cabinet ministers in the lebanese government. Does that make them a state sponsor of terrorism . To what extent is this new focus on hezbollah an extension of the review andiran effort to crack down on a rainy and proxies. Because if i am looking at your list right here, there are really only in the United States u. S. Basedf terrorism, possible terrorism activities thwarted which is far less than any other group in the last year. Thank you for the question. Maybe i can take a stab at that before turning the microphone over to mr. Ross mucin. As i said, the position of the United States is clear. Hezbollah is a terrorist to z and we from a do not recognize a false distinction between its terroristic ambition and political roles. We have been very clear in our messaging that the government of lebanon, likewise needs to recognize it as a terrorist organization. We look to it to be our partner on that front. Respectfully, is that really realistic given the political director rasmussen has worked in the area for a long time. You know very well that this is sort of the fabric of Lebanese Society and, you know, these are longheld struggles within the country so what do you do of lebanon does not that is just not going to personally, i do not envision that is ever happening. So im just kind of when you go from there . That is kind of a nonstarter. I respectfully reject the premise of your question. I do not think hezbollah is the fabric of any society. Is you know, it is a social organization. I understand what youre saying about the terrorism component but not all the people of lebanon but many of the people, a large section of the population feel well, as i said, our position has been consistent throughout the years that money given to a terrorist organization, even for purportedly nonterroristic purposes and set up assisting the groups terroristic activities. If you give money to the socalled peaceful side of an organization, money is funneled and it can then be used for malign activities rather than those we consider it legitimate. It is important for us to maintain that distinction is false, right . The distinction between political and terrorist is false. Like to jump in. 2, the factnly link hezbollah to individuals in the United States to those operating as terrorists is unacceptable. We will use any means we have at our disposal to make sure the activity is exposed, identified, in stock. That would be true if they were in peru or working aggressively against is just,s the question what is the kind of recent decision to focus on hezbollah . From a Law Enforcement perspective, this is not timing. We go after them aggressively with all of the tools add our disposal. The decision about when to make activity, i think the ambassador has explained why we are doing that at this time. I will be brief. You mentioned very briefly in arent theg but why rocket attacks into israel at all part of this . Would that be too long to list . I dont know if youre making a distinction between this kind of operational activity and then firing rockets into no, were not making a distinction between the character of the military activity that is being brought against israeli interests. I cannot speak to why the inclusion. The purpose of this graphic was to show you the reach of the organization around the globe. More directly, the military. Forces. Nese armed the Israeli Defense minister. Orning that hezbollah controls the United States provides a significant amount of cash to the Lebanese Army. Do you agree with the israeli hezbollahnister that controls the armed forces in and if you do, even if you dont, the israelis, why do you continue to support them with millions and millions of dollars and stuff . The Lebanese Forces have been an effective partner in defending the border of lebanon against al qaeda, isis, and other terroristic elements. We are aware of the report you referenced today. With theeen very clear lebanese government that it is important for all of our partners to condemn terrorism in all of its forms. To work withnue the lebanese government to ensure that vision of the world free of terrorism for all potential victims is realized. It sounds like youre making a distinction between the Lebanese Army and the lebanese government. No, im not making a distinction. And youre going to continue to give the Lebanese Army money and equipment . You noticed a difference in hezbollahs behavior since the 2015 signing of the jpl way, and if so, how . If i could handle that from a narrow intelligence perspective the answer is basically no. The trajectory of hezbollah has continued pretty much unabated throughout the duration of the conflict in syria. I mention that because that is where hezbollahs involvement on the ground in syria has been a significant factor in supporting the regime. At the same time, absent the syria conflict were already doing what hezbollah had ambition to create a terrorist capability and i would argue it predated the syria conflict. We have seen kind of both strands moving together forward without much stained change since the jpl way. Thank you, everybody. It is a Radio Station in the Nations Capital which covers some 6 million people. This is a very heavy automobile commute city and it will extend our brand and give people involved in the process here a chance to listen to it. That is how it happened. It was that simple. Cspan radio, marking 20 nationsradio from the capital. Listen to the washington journal live each morning beginning at 7 00 a. M. Eastern. Todayecaps on washington weekdays. Get the latest from congress, the administration, and across thevents from nation. Cspan radio is available in fm and on on cspan. Org or by downloading the free cspan radio app. Everything was devastating for him at the end. He was in some ways isolated and alone. Sunday night, author and Professor Emeritus at Amherst College and his biography. The sovietted people, trusted him trusted where theylow him have never gone before, to democratize their country in a few short years. He trusted them to follow him