Tunnel on Mexican border highlights fears of smuggling by terrorists

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Washington Examiner:


By Sara A. Carter

The Washington Examiner

The discovery of a sophisticated tunneling system on the U.S.-Mexican border has caused intelligence and law enforcement agencies in the Southwest to increase their alert status.

The concern for security officials is twofold: They are trying to avoid a spillover of the spiraling drug violence in Mexico that has been characterized by beheadings and shootouts. At the same time authorities tell The Washington Examiner that Islamic extremist groups are eyeing the porous border as the easiest way to smuggle terrorists into the country.

"Our number one concern is national security," said a senior law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the 1,800 foot tunnel discovered in California. "The vulnerability created by the tunnel being used by terrorist organizations is there."

One official involved in anti-terrorism efforts referred to a 2006 Department of Homeland Security intelligence report that revealed al Qaeda was recruiting citizens in Central America. "It's very concerning when you have a border that allows for anyone to cross over," the official added.

The official said that Pakistanis, Somalis, Arabs and others are continuing to use the border for entry into the United States, and it appears the number of those entering with potential ties to Islamic extremism is on the rise.

"The threat is worldwide," the official noted. "It is not just people from Pakistan fleeing floods, or India -- we have to look at it as a worldwide threat, identifying the specific threat and not just populations."