Thread: Rice: Terrorists Trying to Enter U.S.

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Rice: Terrorists Trying to Enter U.S.

Thu Mar 10, 4:47 PM ET

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) said Thursday that al-Qaida and other terrorist groups are doing everything they can to get into the United States through Mexico and Canada.

Rice, on her first trip to Mexico since taking over at the State Department, in late January, echoed concerns raised by government officials in congressional testimony last month about the motives of the terrorist network blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Indeed we have from time to time had reports about al-Qaida trying to use our southern border but also trying to use our northern border," Rice told reporters. "There is no secret that al-Qaida will try to get into this country and into other countries by any means they possibly can.

"That's how they managed to do it before and they will do everything that they can to cross the borders," she said.

Recent intelligence from current investigations, detentions and other sources suggests that al-Qaida has considered using the Southwest border to infiltrate the United States, according to testimony from a top Homeland Security Department official last month before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"Several al-Qaida 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," James Loy, deputy secretary at the time, said in his testimony.

Rice made the one-day trip to Mexico to meet with President Vicente Fox and Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez. Emerging from her meeting with Derbez, Rice announced that the two countries had settled a decades-old, cross-water debt.

Mexico will transfer enough water to the United States to cover a debt that Texas has claimed that Mexico has owed under a 1944 treaty. That water-sharing pact requires Mexico to send the United States an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water annually from six Rio Grande tributaries. The United States in return must send Mexico 1.5 million acre feet from the Colorado River.

"I'm delighted that we have been able to reach this understanding," Rice said.

Rice also was announcing a $10 million grant to support the expansion of a Mexican program that provides citizens with banking services and small business loans.

Rice said progress has been made in securing the border since Sept. 11, 2001. But she also said the United States is obligated to alert its citizens of concerns.

"We and the Mexicans have a robust dialogue about border security, and I believe we're going to continue to have that," she said. "This is not a matter of pointing fingers. This is a matter of really trying to get the best possible coordination and work that we can so that there's safety for citizens in both countries, on both sides of the border."

She said Washington does not support vigilante groups that are recruiting volunteers to patrol the border for undocumented Mexican crossers.

President Bush former national security adviser faced a diplomatic test in her first visit to Mexico. She discussed with Derbez immigration, border issues, free trade and economic growth.

Recently, Mexican politicians have accused the Bush administration of interfering with Mexico's internal affairs. They have denounced U.S. officials' comments about human rights abuses, drug trafficking and possible election related instability.

Mexico was angered by a recent U.S. travel warning for Americans going to Mexico's northern border. Yet both Rice and Derbez praised relations in a news conference.

Mexican officials called the atmosphere one of friendship and cooperation. Rice spoke of "a close neighbor and friend" and said the neighbors "shared a partnership of prosperity."

On other issues, Rice said:

_The United States is moving closer to a decision on incentives for Iran, which Washington accuses of trying to build nuclear weapons.

_She was not surprised by reports that Pakistan's top nuclear scientist had sold crucial equipment to Iran. The scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khanm "was a very busy and nefarious figure who was transferring technology in almost a turnkey way," Rice said.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&c ... &printer=1

Rice: Terrorists Trying to Enter U.S.

Thu Mar 10, 4:47 PM ET

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) said Thursday that al-Qaida and other terrorist groups are doing everything they can to get into the United States through Mexico and Canada.

Rice, on her first trip to Mexico since taking over at the State Department, in late January, echoed concerns raised by government officials in congressional testimony last month about the motives of the terrorist network blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Indeed we have from time to time had reports about al-Qaida trying to use our southern border but also trying to use our northern border," Rice told reporters. "There is no secret that al-Qaida will try to get into this country and into other countries by any means they possibly can.

"That's how they managed to do it before and they will do everything that they can to cross the borders," she said.

Recent intelligence from current investigations, detentions and other sources suggests that al-Qaida has considered using the Southwest border to infiltrate the United States, according to testimony from a top Homeland Security Department official last month before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"Several al-Qaida 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," James Loy, deputy secretary at the time, said in his testimony.

Rice made the one-day trip to Mexico to meet with President Vicente Fox and Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez. Emerging from her meeting with Derbez, Rice announced that the two countries had settled a decades-old, cross-water debt.

Mexico will transfer enough water to the United States to cover a debt that Texas has claimed that Mexico has owed under a 1944 treaty. That water-sharing pact requires Mexico to send the United States an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water annually from six Rio Grande tributaries. The United States in return must send Mexico 1.5 million acre feet from the Colorado River.

"I'm delighted that we have been able to reach this understanding," Rice said.

Rice also was announcing a $10 million grant to support the expansion of a Mexican program that provides citizens with banking services and small business loans.

Rice said progress has been made in securing the border since Sept. 11, 2001. But she also said the United States is obligated to alert its citizens of concerns.

"We and the Mexicans have a robust dialogue about border security, and I believe we're going to continue to have that," she said. "This is not a matter of pointing fingers. This is a matter of really trying to get the best possible coordination and work that we can so that there's safety for citizens in both countries, on both sides of the border."

She said Washington does not support vigilante groups that are recruiting volunteers to patrol the border for undocumented Mexican crossers.

President Bush former national security adviser faced a diplomatic test in her first visit to Mexico. She discussed with Derbez immigration, border issues, free trade and economic growth.

Recently, Mexican politicians have accused the Bush administration of interfering with Mexico's internal affairs. They have denounced U.S. officials' comments about human rights abuses, drug trafficking and possible election related instability.

Mexico was angered by a recent U.S. travel warning for Americans going to Mexico's northern border. Yet both Rice and Derbez praised relations in a news conference.

Mexican officials called the atmosphere one of friendship and cooperation. Rice spoke of "a close neighbor and friend" and said the neighbors "shared a partnership of prosperity."

On other issues, Rice said:

_The United States is moving closer to a decision on incentives for Iran, which Washington accuses of trying to build nuclear weapons.

_She was not surprised by reports that Pakistan's top nuclear scientist had sold crucial equipment to Iran. The scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khanm "was a very busy and nefarious figure who was transferring technology in almost a turnkey way," Rice said.