Terror Watch Along US Mexico Border

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around a recent terror watch issued by the Department of Homeland Security regarding a Somali smuggler in Texas, with implications for border security and the potential for terrorist infiltration via the Texas-Mexico border. Participants explore the nature of the smuggling operation, the connections to terrorist organizations, and broader concerns about border control and national security.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern over the smuggling of terrorists from Somalia into the U.S. via the Texas-Mexico border, citing connections to Al Qaeda and other organizations.
  • Others question the severity of the threat, suggesting that the risks may be overstated and referencing the historical context of border security failures post-9/11.
  • There is a debate about whether the U.S. should prioritize securing the Canadian border over the Mexican border, with differing opinions on the ease of crossing into the U.S. from either country.
  • Some participants share personal anecdotes regarding border crossings, suggesting that security measures may vary between the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders.
  • One participant challenges the assertion that it is easier to enter the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico, requesting evidence to support such claims.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the level of threat posed by the smuggling operation or the effectiveness of border security measures. Multiple competing views remain regarding the implications of the terror watch and the relative security of the U.S.-Mexico versus U.S.-Canada borders.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying degrees of uncertainty about the actual risks posed by the smuggling operation and the effectiveness of border security. The discussion reflects differing assumptions about the capabilities and intentions of terrorist organizations and the operational realities of border crossings.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in national security, border control policies, and the implications of terrorism on immigration may find this discussion relevant.

chemisttree
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The Department of Homeland Security has just issued a terror watch to law enforcement agencies in Texas. A Somali terrorist smuggler residing in Texas (how does that happen?) has been running a "large-scale smuggling operation" recently unsealed Federal court documents reveal. The http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/26/terror-alert-mexican-border/" states that, "Many of the illegal immigrants, who court records say were given fake IDs, are alleged to have ties to other now-defunct Somalian terror organizations that have merged with active organizations like Al Shabaab, al-Barakat and Al-Ittihad Al-Islami." The subject of the terror watch, a mister Mohamed Ali, is believed to be in Mexico and planning his trip north.

Janet Napolitano was unavailable for comment. Likely she's busy reading Arizona's SB 1070 so that she can speak about it intelligently.
 
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Eh? Smuggling drugs or what?

Mohamed ali huh?
 
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so now we've got about 200 Somali pirates on the mainland? what will they do, hijack freight trains with grenade launchers?
 
"A Somali terrorist smuggler residing in Texas" so I assume they're smuggling Somali terrorists?
 
magpies said:
Eh? Smuggling drugs or what?

Mohamed ali huh?

Smuggling terrorists from Somalia into the US via the Texas-Mexico border. The terrorists are associated with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Somalia.

Yes, Mohamed Ali.
 
chemisttree said:
Smuggling terrorists from Somalia into the US via the Texas-Mexico border. The terrorists are associated with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Somalia.

From the Fox News article:
Many of the illegal immigrants, who court records say were given fake IDs, are alleged to have ties to other now-defunct Somalian terror organizations that have merged with active organizations like Al Shabaab, al-Barakat and Al-Ittihad Al-Islami.

In 2008, the U.S. government designated Al Shabaab a terrorist organization. Al Shabaab has said its priority is to impose Sharia, or Islamic law, on Somalia; the group has aligned itself with Al Qaeda and has made statements about its intent to harm the United States.

Illegal immigrant has ties to defunct Somali organizations. Defunct Somali organization has ties to Al Shabaab. Al Shabaab has ties to Al Qaeda. That's 3 degrees of separation from Al Qaeda.

I'm not saying these illegal immigrants are completely harmless, but I think the risks are being overblown here a bit.
 
Ygggdrasil said:
I'm not saying these illegal immigrants are completely harmless, but I think the risks are being overblown here a bit.
Well I know somebody who used to live next door to a general's mechanic who said there was a big risk.
 
chemisttree said:
The Department of Homeland Security has just issued a terror watch to law enforcement agencies in Texas. A Somali terrorist smuggler residing in Texas (how does that happen?) has been running a "large-scale smuggling operation" recently unsealed Federal court documents reveal. The http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/26/terror-alert-mexican-border/" states that, "Many of the illegal immigrants, who court records say were given fake IDs, are alleged to have ties to other now-defunct Somalian terror organizations that have merged with active organizations like Al Shabaab, al-Barakat and Al-Ittihad Al-Islami." The subject of the terror watch, a mister Mohamed Ali, is believed to be in Mexico and planning his trip north..

Why we never got control of the border after 911 is a complete mystery to me. This should have been one of the highest priorities. In my view, this is not only one of the biggest failures of the Bush adminstration [along with attacking the wrong country], but it made a joke of his war on terror. It esp made moot his rationale for trashing the Constitution.

Ever since 911, and long before, any would-be terrorist could just walk here.
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
Why we never got control of the border after 911 is a complete mystery to me. This should have been one of the highest priorities. In my view, this is not only one of the biggest failures of the Bush adminstration [along with attacking the wrong country], but it made a joke of his war on terror.

hasn't been on Obama's agenda, either, 'til this.
 
  • #10
We should start with the Canadian border first imo that is if we are really worried about terrorists.
 
  • #11
magpies said:
We should start with the Canadian border first imo that is if we are really worried about terrorists.
So should we - remember 1812
 
  • #12
Eh not really... I was more hinting at how it is easyer to get into Canada then mexico and also easyer to cross into the US from it.
 
  • #13
magpies said:
Eh not really... I was more hinting at how it is easyer to get into Canada then mexico and also easyer to cross into the US from it.

But how easy is it to get into Canada and then get into the USA? After 9/11 Canada pretty much cracked down on terrorist activities, you may not have heard about it but one time it happened pretty much right down the street from me.

Canada has a zero-tolerance for terrorism and we have even passed laws regarding it, what can you say about Mexico? Do they even look into terrorist activities or care about the well being of their own country and their neighbours? No, to both, in my opinion.

This comment actually slightly offended me, I'm not going to lie.

EDIT: I don't even think what you said is factually true at all. You really think it's easier to get into Canada than Mexico? I'd like to see some evidence to support that assertion, cause you're not presenting this as your opinion, your stating it as a 'fact that your attempting to hint at', so prove it.
 
  • #14
zomgwtf said:
You really think it's easier to get into Canada than Mexico?
From Afghanistan just cross into Pakistan then India, through the Himalayas into China, across Tibet, Mongolia , Russia, the Bearing straight and Alaska then it's easy to get into Canada.
From there only the eternal vigilance of the TSA will keep them out of Vermont ( http://www.wptz.com/news/22826310/detail.html )

Plus don't forget that some of the 911 hijackers flew into America passing over Canadian airspace - as the nice senator reminded us.
 
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  • #15
Ok your right I don't know for sure that it's easyer to get into the usa from Canada from iran or some place. But I did live in minnesota and my family/many friends would cross from minnesota into Canada for fishing ect often. Nobody at that time ever really checked anything besides if they had been drinking beer mby. And that's if you crossed at a place where a check point was set up...

Also I find it hard to believe that it's easyer to get on a ship from iran to mexico then it is to Canada but that's also just mostly a guess.
 
  • #16
magpies said:
Ok your right I don't know for sure that it's easyer to get into the usa from Canada from iran or some place. But I did live in minnesota and my family/many friends would cross from minnesota into Canada for fishing ect often. Nobody at that time ever really checked anything besides if they had been drinking beer mby. And that's if you crossed at a place where a check point was set up...

Also I find it hard to believe that it's easyer to get on a ship from iran to mexico then it is to Canada but that's also just mostly a guess.

The US I believe has heavier security on the US-Mexico border than the US-Canadian border. I think that Canada is actually probably more concerned about the Canadian-US border than the US is, though I am not too sure about that. As far as entering the US goes I am fairly certain that it is easier from Canada than from Mexico though entering Canada in the first place is probably more difficult than entering Mexico.
 
  • #17
I'v heard it's actually really easy to get into Canada even without papers. And that it is easy to get offical papers in Canada.

Does anyone listen to coasttocoast? They talk about this type of stuff about every other week it seems.
 
  • #18
TheStatutoryApe said:
The US I believe has heavier security on the US-Mexico border than the US-Canadian border.
Somewhat! The US -Canada border is often difficult to find, that's why people keep getting arrested going for a pizza or picking up a frisbee.

I think that Canada is actually probably more concerned about the Canadian-US border than the US is
Generally guns, hard drugs, tobacco, booze going north - BC-Bud going south.
Of course it depends which politician on either side of the border you listen to that day.

As far as entering the US goes I am fairly certain that it is easier from Canada than from Mexico
True although a terrorist is a lot more likely to land at a major US airport with a false passport and a valid visa than be snowshoeing across a mountain border somewhere in Saskatchewan.
 
  • #19
Ygggdrasil said:
Illegal immigrant has ties to defunct Somali organizations. Defunct Somali organization has ties to Al Shabaab.

Not exactly. Now defunct Somali organization merged with organizations like Al Shabaab.

Al Shabaab has ties to Al Qaeda.

Again, not exactly. Al Shabaab aligned itself with Al Qaeda and stated its intent to harm the US.

That's 3 degrees of separation from Al Qaeda.

Who cares how far up the food chain you must go to find a bona fide AQ operative?
A terrorist that goes to summer camp at Al Qaeda's farm is a dangerous terrorist regardless of some alleged 'tie' to the organization... whatever that might mean.

I'm not saying these illegal immigrants are completely harmless, but I think the risks are being overblown here a bit.

Possibly a pun on your part? The christmas pants bomber also had 'ties' to Al Qaeda. He learned, or almost learned, to make a bomb capable of killing hundreds. I don't want those responsible for stopping these people wasting their time calculating risk levels. I'd rather their hair was on fire and they overestimate the risk.
 
  • #20
chemisttree said:
Who cares how far up the food chain you must go to find a bona fide AQ operative?...
is a dangerous terrorist regardless of some alleged 'tie' to the organization... whatever that might mean.
And an American president that campaigned alongside a long time IRA supporter and fundraiser is also a terrorist?
 
  • #21
Entirely non sequitur. Did that president announce his intent to harm Britian?