BRASILIA, Brazil, March 16 (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden passed through Brazil's border area with Argentina and Paraguay in 1995, a leading weekly magazine reported this weekend, citing Brazilian military intelligence sources.

Bin Laden, who the United States blamed for being behind the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, met with the Arab community in Brazil's town of Foz do Iguacu during his brief visit, the weekly Veja reported.

The so-called triple border area where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet has long been suspected of harboring militants, or providing safe haven and financing for them.

Suspicions have focused on the Iranian-backed Hizbollah group, and since the Sept. 11 attacks the United States has asked the region's authorities to step up surveillance of the area.

Brazil says there is no evidence of "terrorist" activities in the region.

Veja said there was a videotape of bin Laden participating in meetings at a mosque in the area during his brief visit. He was reported to have entered Brazil from Argentina.

Brazilian police said last week they believe another prominent member of bin Laden's al Qaeda network, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, also traveled to the region in 1995. Mohammed was captured in Pakistan this month.

Veja said Brazil had passed on the information of the visits by the two militants to U.S. authorities in 1998 after two U.S. embassies in Africa were bombed. Al Qaeda is suspected to have been behind the attacks.