This claim, that al-Qaeda (Group Profile) is seeking recruits and establishing a foothold in Latin America, is not new?it has been in the public domain since late August 2004–and should be taken at face value. The Western Hemisphere?the so-called final frontier for international terrorism–does have its share of weak governments, drug/human smuggling, organized crime, rebel groups, and corruption. This, however, does not conclusively prove an al-Qaeda presence, let alone an interest, in the region or in any specific country. Further, Rumsfeld acknowledged no evidence of plans to ?[launch] an attack from Latin America against the United States.” The primary concern of the US government, naturally, is an attack staged from its border, Mexico (Country Profile, this WAR Report, and August 18, 2004 WAR Report).

As illustrated in the August 25, 2004 WAR Report, the main reason this issue continues to surface is the elusiveness of an FBI Most Wanted character and suspected al-Qaeda cell leader: Adnan Shukrijumah (Photos). He has been on the lamb for over three years, thus quite an embarrassment and threat to the administration. Shukrijumah was allegedly sighted in Honduras and Panama earlier this year but was not apprehended, and his whereabouts remain unknown, despite a $5 million bounty. Perhaps somewhat naively, Mexican authorities, as indicated in the September 15, 2004 WAR Report, contend that neither he, nor any other al-Qaeda operative, has ever been in their country.