October 08, 2004

"U.S. Examines Chance of Mexico Terror Link"

From the AP:

Terrorists might try to use existing criminal networks on the border to slip operatives into the United States, but so far there is no evidence any have tried to do so, a high-ranking U.S. official told The Associated Press.

The comments by Michael Garcia, assistant secretary of Homeland Security, come amid concerns international terrorists might be trying to infiltrate organized crime in Mexico and Central America.

"I personally don't know ... (of an) al-Qaida known terrorist trying to come through Mexico into the United States," Garcia said. "What I do know is that obviously there are smuggling organizations very active along the border, and they present a risk."

Garcia spoke in an interview Wednesday during a convention of the global police agency Interpol. In addition to serving as Interpol's vice president for the Americas, he is assistant secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement...

The rest of the article has quotes from other Interpol officials attempting to downplay the chatter about terrorists coming over the border.

See also Ridge: no sign of terrorists trying to cross border, which links to some of that chatter.

Posted to Immigration_terror at October 8, 2004 11:51 PM

Comments

These officials know very well that there is a lot of suspicious activity involving the southern border. Unfortunately there is a party line to the effect that mexican wetbacks are workers by definition, and can't be blamed for anything they do. Since anyone crossing illegally from Mexico is defined as blameless, this means that no terrorists can be immigrating by that route. Officials don't actually believe this to be true, but they feel that they must adhere to the party line. The danger is that information will not be presented to those responsible, for fear of contradicting the official position. When the rulers say it is impossible for there to be famine under collectivization, or for there to be terrorists immigrating illegally across the southern border, the information to the contrary doesn't travel in the appropriate manner.

Posted by: John S Bolton at October 9, 2004 03:55 PM