TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY – AT 7:59 P.M. ET:  There have been a number of credible reports of Islamic extremists operating in Latin America.  It's entirely logical, especially considering the growing bond between Hugo Chavez's Venezuela and the mullahs of Iran. 

Further, our southern border is more than vulnerable.  If you were a terror group that wanted to infiltrate, especially carrying equipment, that would be the route to take.  One GOP congresswoman is asking questions of the Obama administratio.  From the Charlotte Observer:

U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick has asked Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano to step up investigations of terrorists who might be operating on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Myrick, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, wants Napolitano to convene a task force on the presence of Hezbollah in Mexico.

“I believe Hezbollah and the drug cartels may be operating as partners on our border,” wrote Myrick to Napolitano, who is secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in a letter last week. “I believe we need to do more intelligence gathering on Hezbollah’s presence on our border.”

The Obamans say that they see nothing:

Homeland Security spokesman Matt Chandler said Tuesday in a prepared statement that the agency will respond directly to Myrick about her request.

“At this time, DHS does not have any credible information on terrorist groups operating along the Southwest border,” he said.

But the congresswoman has some goods:

As evidence of Hezbollah’s connection to the Latino Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13 gang, Myrick’s letter includes photographs of two prisoners’ tattoos – one of which reads Hezbollah, the other of which, she wrote, is a Farsi translation of MS-13.

“We have typically seen tattoos in Arabic, but Farsi implies a Persian influence that can likely be traced back to Iran and its proxy army, Hezbollah,” Myrick writes. “These tattoos in Farsi are almost always seen in connection with gang or drug cartel tattoos.”

COMMENT:  The great fear, of course, is that a weapon of mass destruction could be smuggled across our southern border, probably in parts.  This is worth examining very closely.  We have a historic tendency to be surprised.

June 29, 2010