Two members of the Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist organization were arrested in Colombia two months ago, Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano revealed in an interview with the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo on Sunday.
Molano stated that in several meetings Colombian officials have held with different intelligence agencies, "there are concerns about the presence of Hezbollah in Venezuela and its relationship with terrorist groups and their financing," according to El Tiempo.
Concerning the two Hezbollah-backed criminals who were arrested and deported from Colombia, Molano said that they intended to commit a "criminal act" in the country.
Molano stated during the interview that his statement calling Iran an enemy of Colombia during a visit to Israel was "hasty," saying that "Colombia does not use the word enemy to refer to any nation."
The defense minister clarified, however, Iran's enrichment of uranium and support for the Maduro regime in Venezuela sparked "concerns."
El Tiempo additionally reported on Sunday that a former intelligence agent, who had been assigned until recently to the Israeli diplomatic team in Colombia, realized he was being spied on by Hezbollah in Bogota, with information collected by foreign agents, including the Mossad, indicating that the terrorist group had been spying on the agent throughout his daily routine.
Colombian authorities were notified that there were indications that the agent, who had opened an import and marketing company for surveillance cameras and technology, was a target for assassination.
The agent was evacuated to Tel Aviv in a secret operation, according to El Tiempo, with the report on the incident stating that he wasn't the only individual being monitored by Hezbollah. A number of high-profile foreigners in the country were reportedly potential targets for the group.
According to the Colombian newspaper, the attempted assassination was part of the reason for the statements against Iran by Molano.
Last year, Colombia designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group.
The reported assassination attempt comes about a month after a similar assassination plot backed by Iran targeting Israelis was reported in Cyprus. Last week, Cypriot daily Politis reported that six suspects have been charged for allegedly trying to carry out the plot in Cyprus.