Thread: FBI bulletin outlines possible terrorist plot at TX border

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centreda ... 150883.htm

Posted on Sat, Jul. 16, 2005
FBI bulletin outlines possible terrorist plot at Texas border
BY ALFREDO CORCHADO AND JASON TRAHAN
The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS - (KRT) - Dirt roads trace pale lines across a desolate landscape of bald peaks and plunging canyons near Texas' Big Bend and bridge the international boundary at dozens of improvised crossings. For decades, these routes have been used to smuggle drugs and humans. Now there is growing concern they could become deadly conduits for terrorism.

The concern is buttressed by a confidential but unclassified FBI intelligence bulletin, obtained by The Dallas Morning News, that contains the vague outlines of a possible terrorist plot.

Officials from both sides of the border downplayed the possible threat but acknowledged that it is the sort of scenario they have to guard against. The prospect of terrorists crossing the southern border has been a rising concern among officials in Texas and Washington.

The plot, according to uncorroborated information provided by an FBI informant, involves a man, described as an Arab who goes by the nickname "El Espanol," and Ernesto Zatarin Beliz, also known as El Traca, a reputed Mexican drug trafficker and member of the Zetas, the feared enforcers of the notorious Gulf cartel.

"El Espanol is gathering truck drivers with knowledge of truck routes in the United States and explosive experts" in the state of Coahuila, according to the March 11 memo, which originated in the San Diego FBI office and was made available by a U.S. attorney's office. The informant "believes that the activity in Coahuila, Mexico, is terrorist related."

In exchange for the Zetas' help in recruiting drivers, the memo says, the Arab - who barely speaks Spanish - promised to help them fund and execute a plan to free Gulf cartel leader Osiel Cardenas from prison. The Gulf cartel is embroiled in a bloody turf war with rival traffickers for control of Nuevo Laredo, a key drug smuggling route into the United States.

According to the FBI memo, Traca was attempting to recruit a security guard at a Mexican government explosives factory in Cuatro Cienegas, Coahuila, to assist with the Arab's plan. The region is known for producing nitric acid and ammonium nitrate, materials that are used for industrial and agricultural purposes and can also be ingredients for explosives.

The informant has "provided reliable narcotics intelligence in the past," the bulletin says, but adds that the informant also flunked two polygraph tests.

The San Diego FBI analyst who wrote the document declined to comment. The division's spokeswoman said publication of such sensitive information would undermine the bureau's mission.

"We are trying to protect national security," said Special Agent Jan Caldwell. "We can't do that when things like this are put in newspapers."

A senior Mexican intelligence official said the information in the memo had not been corroborated.

"The informant paved a road that led nowhere," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He added that Mexican federal agents spent "literally weeks chasing down the information, only to come up empty-handed."

However, the Mexican intelligence official confirmed the identity of El Traca as Zatarin and said that El Espanol was a known human trafficker, specializing in smuggling Middle Easterners and South Americans, particularly Brazilians and Paraguayans.

Mexican authorities have been unable to track down El Espanol, the official said.

According to the March FBI bulletin, Mexican authorities arrested Zatarin in September 2003 and found an arsenal of assault rifles in his residence, described by Mexican authorities as a "bunker utilized by Los Zetas." Zatarin later escaped, however, and his picture and name are now on a poster listing Mexico's most wanted criminals.

"FBI intelligence indicates that Los Zetas are becoming increasingly involved in systematic corruption as well as alien smuggling ... (including) special interest aliens to the U.S.," the bulletin concludes.

Since the 2001 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration and members of Congress from both parties have viewed the southern border as a weak link in efforts to keep terrorists out of the United States, even though the Sept. 11 terrorists entered the country with visas, some legal, others forged.

"That's been the concern all along, that there would be a bargain struck between al-Qaida or some (other) terrorist organization and these organized crime networks that would allow terrorists to be smuggled into the country," U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in an interview. "I think that's a very real concern."

At a hearing Tuesday of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the chairman, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., said: "Given the threat of international terrorism, there is great concern that our land borders could also serve as a channel for international terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. The threat of terrorist penetration is particularly acute along our southern border."

Senior U.S. officials added that other criminal groups such as the Mara Salvatrucha - the Central American gang that has moved into several U.S. cities and has a growing presence along the U.S.-Mexico border - also are a top concern for U.S. authorities.

Lugar said that 3,000 to 4,000 of the 119,000 non-Mexican immigrants apprehended so far this year trying to cross illegally into the United States were from "countries of interest" like Somalia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. That number is up from 75,371 for all of 2004 and is expected to reach 148,000 by year's fiscal end.

Adm. James Loy, former Homeland Security deputy secretary, declined to comment on the specific plot outlined in the FBI memo, but earlier this year he suggested that such a threat is real.

"Entrenched human-smuggling networks and corruption in areas beyond our borders can be exploited by terrorist organizations," Loy said in written testimony at a congressional hearing in February. "Several al-Qaeda leaders believe operatives can pay their way into the country through Mexico and also believe illegal entry is more advantageous than legal entry for operational security reasons."

But law enforcement officials discounted the suggestion that terrorists would use the rugged Big Bend area to transport explosives - especially in a tractor-trailer that would glaringly stand out.

"I think there would be easier ways to get explosives inside the United States," said Benjamine Carry Huffman, assistant chief patrol agent for U.S. Customs & Border Protection in Marfa, Texas.

But the intelligence bulletin noted that the alleged terror plot, as relayed by the informant, was still a work in progress, leaving open the possibility that less conspicuous vehicles might be employed. And the FBI memo said that "one possible smuggling route Traca wanted to use was through Big Bend National Park."

The border patrol's Marfa sector is its largest, covering 510 miles of border with Mexico, including part of Big Bend National Park, and bordering the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. With some 200 agents, it has the smallest force of any sector along the Mexican border, according to Bill Brooks, the sector spokesman.

Much of the area is desert and mountainous terrain, dotted by at least a dozen informal crossings known as Class B ports of entry. These consist of makeshift bridges capable of carrying foot and some lighter vehicle traffic. Authorities tried to seal them off after Sept. 11, 2001, but several have been re-established. Officials acknowledged that agents cannot regularly police the informal crossings.

"Who ever imagined that terrorists would use passenger planes to crash into tall buildings?" Hoffman said. "After September 11, we have to operate on a different mindset, one in which we take absolutely nothing for granted. Is it possible terrorists can come across this border with explosives or a dirty bomb? Absolutely."

---

(Dallas Morning News correspondent Michelle Mittelstadt in Washington contributed to this report.)

"We are trying to protect national security," said Special Agent Jan Caldwell. "We can't do that when things like this are put in newspapers."

Now they're blaming Dallas Morning News...for INFORMING the public that another Oklahoma City Bombing might be expected soon. Sorry Caldwell, it's NOT the Dallas Morning News fault you haven't secured our borders.

However, the Mexican intelligence official confirmed the identity of El Traca as Zatarin and said that El Espanol was a known human trafficker, specializing in smuggling Middle Easterners and South Americans, particularly Brazilians and Paraguayans.

"South Americans" Doesn't the President want to just make all of them part of US or US part of them in one big happy family called the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas with FREE FLOW OF PEOPLE, LABOR AND GOODS? Terrorists = People. Terrorists may now Free Flow through the entire Hemisphere Legally. Ammonium Nitrate = Goods. Terrorists may now Free Flow with their Goods through the entire Hemisphere Legally.

Oh...swell. Well, look on the BRIGHT SIDE....we obviously won't need a costly and ineffective Federal Bureau of Investigation as the federation will no longer exist or a Homeland Insecurity Department costing us zillions of dollars for nothing as the homeland will no longer be ours. So, we'll get blown up alot, but we'll save alot of money!

Mexican authorities have been unable to track down El Espanol, the official said.

Hey, Dummies! That's because he's already in the United States. One of the church groups gave him a ride and a bottle of water and dropped him off somewhere in Dallas so he could rent a vehicle.

"That's been the concern all along, that there would be a bargain struck between al-Qaida or some (other) terrorist organization and these organized crime networks that would allow terrorists to be smuggled into the country," U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in an interview. "I think that's a very real concern."

"That's been the concern all along" All along what? You mean all along the past 4 years since 9/11? Hmmm...well, when do you think would be a good time to start SHUTTING DOWN THESE ORGANIZED CRIME NETWORKS? (Me theeeenks they have more fun trackin' them than catchin' em.)

Hmmmmm. Maybe they are afraid that if they actually catch them and shut them down, there won't be anymore work to do and their position might be cut by the Appropriations Committee, eh? Keep crime networks active so we can have jobs trackin' 'em....until we retire on government's pension.

At a hearing Tuesday of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the chairman, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., said: "Given the threat of international terrorism, there is great concern that our land borders could also serve as a channel for international terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. The threat of terrorist penetration is particularly acute along our southern border."

Now, that Lugar is an absolute Einstein isn't he? Now, I mean that Boy is Quick!! Only 4 years since 9/11 and this Pay Boy has determined at a hearing on Tuesday that "our land borders could also serve as a channel for international terrorists and weapons...."particularly acute" along the southern border."" We are truly blessed to have this man head up the esteemed United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I feel so much more secure don't you?

No? Well... tell me...talk to me....what's not right about this?

Senior U.S. officials added that other criminal groups such as the Mara Salvatrucha - the Central American gang that has moved into several U.S. cities and has a growing presence along the U.S.-Mexico border - also are a top concern for U.S. authorities.

Oh well....no need to concern yourselves any further....just hang on...El Presidente is on the stump trail pushing for the CENTRAL AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT after which Mara Salvatrucha can FREE FLOW all their members and all their goods into the United States Legally and Stay Forever.



Can you believe We provide paychecks to these people every month?



We are totally unprotected by DESIGN.

Hey, I got a plan....lets freeze all their paychecks until they complete their duties:

1. secure the borders
2. deport illegals
3. prosecute lawbreakers
4. tell Mexico to kiss our Beautiful USA Butts

Publicizing this will help keep Americans alert. Securing our borders and deporting the illegals would help prevent it even more so.

But law enforcement officials discounted the suggestion that terrorists would use the rugged Big Bend area to transport explosives - especially in a tractor-trailer that would glaringly stand out.

"I think there would be easier ways to get explosives inside the United States," said Benjamine Carry Huffman, assistant chief patrol agent for U.S. Customs & Border Protection in Marfa, Texas.

"transport explosives" "easier ways to get explosives inside the United States"

Right....why would they transport them across a border when all they have to do is walk across the border and buy them here? All these products are legal for sale in almost every city in America. Contractors can buy them; DuPont makes them; Farm Supplies sell them.

THE KEY is not to let the terrorist in to begin with!

No terrorist = No terrorist with explosives



It's kinda like watching Barney and Goober handle things when Andy is out of town?