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In June, Honduran officials said Shukrijumah was spotted earlier this year at an Internet cafe in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Panamanian officials say the pilot and alleged bombmaker passed through their country before the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) in May singled out Shukrijumah as one of seven especially dangerous al-Qaida-linked terror figures wanted by the government, which fears a new al-Qaida attack. A $5 million reward is posted for information leading to his capture.
Mexican and U.S. border officials have been on extra alert, checking foreign passports and arresting any illegal migrants. In a sign of a growing Mexican crackdown, eight people from Armenia, Iran and Iraq (news - web sites) were arrested Thursday in Mexicali on charges they may have entered Mexico with false documents, although they did not appear to have any terrorist ties.
Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, Mexico's top anti-crime prosecutor, said Mexican officials have no evidence that Shukrijumah — or any other al-Qaida operatives — are in Mexico. But Mexican authorities are investigating and keeping a close eye on the airports and borders."
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BORDERLAND NEWS.com - EL PASO TIMES.com: "FBI LOOKS FOR POSSIBLE TERRORISTS ALONG THE BORDER." by Louie Gilot, El Paso Times (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Officials on both sides of the border have asked law enforcement officials, including Border Patrol agents and El Paso's bridge inspectors, as well as the community at large to be on the lookout for Adnan G. El Shukrijumah, 29, a native of Saudi Arabia who may be using a Guyanese, Canadian or Trinidadian passport. Shukrijumah was spotted in Honduras earlier this year, FBI officials said, and used to reside in Trinidad and Tobago, off the coast of Latin America. "He is believed to be one of the most dangerous cell leader below the leadership of al-Qaeda who plans to hurt the United States," Art Werge, spokesman for the FBI in El Paso, said. Officials said Shukrijumah might be using immigrant-smuggling routes through Central America and Mexico to get to the border.") (August 17, 2004) (Read More...)