Politics

Confirmed: Sunni Islamic Extremists Infiltrating U.S. Southern Border

Confirmed: Sunni Islamic Extremists Infiltrating U.S. Southern Border
Confirmed: Sunni Islamic Extremists Infiltrating U.S. Southern Border

Dr. Luis Fleischman, a senior adviser to the Menges Hemispheric Security Project at the Center for Security Policy in Washington DC, has reported of what has been the concern of many Americans but vastly ignored by the U.S. government is that Sunni Islamic extremists have been infiltrating the southern border of the U.S.

Fleischman reported that on August 21, 2016, the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) confirmed what the Menges Hemispheric Security Project has been warning about for a long time, which is the susceptibility of the southern border to the infiltration of Middle East terrorism.

Most recently, Fleischman had warned that ISIS has the potential to operate in Latin America and with Sunni extremists south of the U.S. border, America has a national security issue that needs to be addressed.

Reporting on cooperation between Iran or Iran’s proxy groups like Hezbollah and countries in Latin America such as Venezuela as well as drug cartels has been extensive. However, this time SOUTHCOM (which is responsible for all military activities in South and Central America) has explicitly talked about the infiltration of Sunni extremists from the Middle East, from the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and from East Africa broaching our southern border.

These infiltration’s, which are carried out with the help of professional smugglers trained in smuggling illegal immigrants from Latin America, represent a major problem given the threat of the Islamic State. What is more interesting is that neither the media nor even the Donald Trump campaign raised public concern over this report. It is particularly worrisome given the fact that Southern Command reported the infiltration of 30,000 individuals from the Middle East, which is the equivalent of 10% of the total illegal smuggling coming from the southern border.

“It is obvious that the problem of our southern border remains a very serious issue that requires a solution as soon as possible. The security of our borders should be resolved before any other issue is resolved, whether the next president is Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, “said Fleischman.

“However, for this to happen it is also imperative to look at the Western Hemisphere and Latin America not only in economic terms but also as a region that poses serious security challenges.”

Fleischman continued, “We have extensively covered all these challenges but with the rise of ISIS it is important to look into why the region is a fertile area for ISIS. First, the proximity of Latin America to the United States makes us vulnerable and provides easy access to those wishing to cross over our rather porous southern border.”

“Therefore, the next president of the United States will need to take this issue very seriously. Failing to do so could place American lives at risk, “Fleischman said.

In 2013, the Menges Hemispheric Security Project reported that Hezbollah has clear connections with drug cartels and is involved in criminal activities that mainly involve drug trafficking. Hezbollah and the drug cartels help each other as drug cartels have strategic knowledge and access to the United States.

The attempt by a member of the gang-cartel “Zetas” to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in October 2011 proves the danger of such a connection. Hezbollah at the same time has used its expertise to help the drug cartels build tunnels that enabled them to transport drugs across the U.S.-Mexican border.

More from Fleischman at the Center for Security Policy.

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CLC

Fmr. Sgt, USAF Intelligence, NSA/DOD; Studied Cryptology at Community College of the Air Force

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