Is Hezbollah cashing in on Viagra and vice?(Globe)

[MrPrax]

Wow...this must be a new low for Canadian journalism.

Is Hezbollah cashing in on Viagra and vice?

MONTREAL — It is an unlikely fundraising scheme for terrorists, in which U.S. prosecutors say Canadian and American suspects smuggled cigarettes and sold fake Viagra to raise money for Hezbollah.

When authorities south of the border bring the alleged ringleaders to trial in January, they will argue that 19 people – five of them Canadian – also sold other counterfeit goods, including Zig-Zag-branded cigarette papers, to help raise money for the Lebanese terrorist group.

Among officials' suspects: Theodore Schenk, a 73-year-old Jewish widower from Miami Beach and one of his alleged accomplices, Abdel-Hamid Sinno, a 53-year-old Quebecker who once worked as an imam in Montreal.

"Hezbollah has significant numbers of supporters in North America . . . and a good number of those supporters commit crimes to produce money," said assistant U.S. attorney Kenneth Chadwell, who is prosecuting the case.

NPost..er Globe

oh...there is no Hezbollah connection except in the mind of US state prosecutors and a writer who feels the need to try to make their case...

Astonishing piece of nonsesne that passes for news these days...the standards are low.

[Spazito]

1. LOL, are you sure this isn't an import from the Onion?

It sure could be given how ludicrous this article is, am still laughing!

[MrPrax]

2. The thing that blew my mind...

was I 'found' on a Google search looking for more info about the 'friendly fire' incident and laughed and fully expected it to be Toronto Sun or something...it was the Globe. So 'scary stupid' and ridiculous...

[daleo]

3. Viagra is a pretty good tip-off for propaganda

When sex comes into a story about "nasty foreign enemies", you can usually be sure that the propaganda element is high.

[Bragi]

4. This is particularly alarming

When authorities south of the border bring the alleged ringleaders to trial in January, they will argue that 19 people – five of them Canadian – also sold other counterfeit goods, including Zig-Zag-branded cigarette papers, to help raise money for the Lebanese terrorist group.

Wow. Imagine the many millions that go into the coffers of Hezbollah by selling counterfeit packs of Zig-Zag cigarette papers...

Okay, maybe it's just in the tens of thousands -- low tens to high four figures -- but I'm sure every bit of cash is important to them, what with the way they go through rockets.

[MrPrax]

5. I zero'ed in on that as well...

"counterfeit? packs of Zig-Zag cigarette papers"...I mean, the 'authentic' ones retail for anywhere from about a $1.00 to $1.35? Where's the margin to bother 'counterfeiting'? Which would you counterfeit? Blue or white? Who would notice if they are counterfeit if anyway...it either stays rolled or it doesn't... :shrug:

BUT mind you -- if Hezbollah CAN figure out a 'counterfeit' Zig Zag where you DON'T have to rip up the inside to get at the 2 or 3 papers that are left underneath, then I will try 'Hezbollah' brand rollies.

:evilgrin: