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TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - It's a U.S. Homeland Security Department nightmare, and Honduras' most outspoken Cabinet member says it's happening: Al-Qaida operatives recruiting Central American gang members to carry out regional attacks and slip terrorists into the United States. Yet U.S. and Central American officials say they have found no evidence supporting Honduran Security Minister Oscar Alvarez's allegations. And human rights groups accuse Alvarez of trumping terrorism reports to justify his crackdown on gangs, who in response have adopted terror-style tactics such as beheadings — 20 so far — and threatened the government. Romulo Emiliani, a Roman Catholic bishop working closely...

MONTERREY, Mexico - Governments throughout Mexico and Central America are on alert as evidence grows that al-Qaida members are traveling in the region and looking for recruits to carry out attacks in Latin America — the potential last frontier for international terrorism. The territory could be a perfect staging ground for Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s militants, with homegrown rebel groups, drug and people smugglers, and corrupt governments. U.S. officials have long feared al-Qaida could launch an attack from south of the border, and they have been paying closer attention as the number of terror-related incidents has increased...

In a rapidly growing story, Honduran officials report that one of the top terrorist suspects in the world, Adnan G. Shukrijumah, was spotted in Honduras recently. Adnan G. El Shukrijumah Readers might want to reserve judgment, however, taking the reports with a grain of warm Honduran sand, since contradictions have become apparent. It's unclear whether the problematic elements to the story stem from inaccurate statements made by government officials, from inaccurate reporting of those statements, from a lack of forthcoming detail, from poor communications between international allies or a combination of these. Here are some points to consider: The date:...

Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama are on alert for the possible entry of suspected terrorist Adnan G. El Shukrijumah, after Honduran authorities warned that the 29-year old suspect, referred to by law enforcement sources as "the next Mohammed Atta," may be seeking to cross into one of the countries. Costa Rica is bordered on the north by Nicaragua and on the south by Panama. Shukrijumah, who is considered one of the FBI's "top 5" terrorist concerns, allegedly was spotted in Honduras on May 27 at a Tegucigalpa Internet cafe. "We found out that this man was in Tegucigalpa at the...

Report: Suspected al-Qaeda member planned to blow up Panama Canal... Developing...

Warning: touched up Babelfish translation from the Spanish ________________________ -He planned attacks against the Panama Canal: State Security One of the terrorists tied to the Al Qaeda network much sought by United States authorities was in the national territory for several days after planning attacks on the Panama Canal, Minister of Security Oscar Alvarez revealed yesterday. The civil servant elaborated his statements, when referring that the possible presence of international terrorists is investigated, brought into the country by Mafias that deal with undocumented people. "We can verify the presence of Middle East terrorists in our country", asserted Alvarez, then criticized...