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interview
Latin American Gang May Have Connection with al-Qaeda

CBN.com –They contribute to a rise in street violence. The horrific crimes committed by gang members include murder, rape, assault and burglary, and weapons and narcotic defenses.

National gangs have often been overlooked in the media, but their presence is growing in the U.S. And some fear that they may have connections with al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Lee Webb recently spoke with CBN News terrorism expert Erick Stakelbeck about this possibility.

LEE WEBB: CBN News terrorism expert Erick Stakelbeck joins us from the Washington bureau. Erick, I guess it is somewhat surprising to hear about Homeland Security getting involved in gang arrests. But you are hearing that there may be a connection between these gangs and Islamic terrorism?

ERICK STAKELBECK: Yes, Lee. There is a scary connection, absolutely. The largest Latin American gang in America right now, MS-13 - for months there were rumors that they're working alongside al-Qaeda, helping to smuggle al Qaeda operatives into the U.S. over that porous U.S.-Mexican border.

Now, the clearest example of MS-13, al-Qaeda cooperation is a guy by the name of Adnan El Shukrijumah. Now he’s a leading al-Qaeda operative. Lee, he is one that John Ashcroft has described as “a clear and present danger to the United States.� Shukrijumah was seen last summer in the Honduras meeting with members of MS-13.

MS-13 and al-Qaeda mirror each other in a lot of ways. Just like al- Qaeda, MS-13 is known to decapitate its enemies. They have a very strong base of operations right here in Washington, D.C., and over the past year there have been several cases of MS-13 members hacking away at rival gangs with machetes. So the MS-13, al-Qaeda link really has the intelligence community on edge.

WEBB: Up until now we have not heard too much about this. Why hasn't the media been covering this story?

STAKELBECK: You know, Lee, I think the main reason is that the government and media don't want to draw any more attention to that porous U.S.-Mexico border. We know that the American public is already up in arms about the lack of border security there. And everyone is concerned that an Islamic terrorist will come across the border with the help of a group like MS-13. Let’s remember, last year, 75,000 non-Mexican illegal aliens people from countries like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran entered the United States illegally. Now once they’re detained, they often let go, Lee, because we don't have the detention space to hold them. So often they are released back into American society.

WEBB: CBN News terrorism expert Erick Stakelbeck. Eric, thank you.

STAKELBECK: Always a pleasure, Lee.