[rickylc]

Do people go scuba diving at this time of the year, in that location?

No one would be recreational diving at this location at this time of the year. It would be a very dangerous dive as it sounds like only the shipping channel is open. The number one rule of diving is don't dive alone. If this was a recreational diver he would have had another diver with him as well as a support team in these conditions. There is no way this was a responsible recreational diver.

[MamaDearest]

A couple of good reads regarding Al Qaeda and scuba diving are as follows:

http://www.cdnn.info/article/al_qaeda/al_qaeda.html

titled Fears Persist of AQ Terrorist Link to PADI Dive Center, and

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/8/26/160951.shtml

titled AQ Plans Underwater Attack.

[oceanview]

based on the description of the diver and the tatoos, my guess is that they had a drug stash hidden in the river, anchored to the bottom somehow, and he died trying to retrieve it.