August 2, 2005
Gangs May Prevent Central American Free Trade Agreement Success
Upon signing the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) on Tuesday, President Bush promised that the pact would "advance peace and prosperity" throughout Central America. A noble goal for sure--but one that will never be achieved as long as violent criminal gangs continue to wreak havoc across the region. One of these gangs in particular has left a trail of dead bodies in its wake over the past two decades. Its name is Mara Savatrucha--better known as MS-13. In the opinion of many law enforcement officials, MS-13--which was formed in El Salvador in the 1980's--has now replaced the severely depleted Italian mafia as the number one criminal enterprise in the United States.
MS-13--whose members are often heavily tattooed, including on their necks and faces--has set up operations in cities throughout the United States, with Los Angeles and the Washington, D.C. area their two main strongholds. MS-13 is involved in countless criminal activities, everything from drug dealing and counterfeiting to money laundering and murder-for-hire. But their "bread and butter" is the smuggling of drugs and people over the border from Mexico into the United States. MS-13 controls many of the smuggling routes along America's porous southern border--a fact that hasn't been lost on Islamic terrorists. Just last year, a leading Al-Qaeda operative was seen meeting with members of MS-13 in Honduras. His name is Adnan Al-Shukrijumah, and he's one of the most wanted terrorists in the world. Also, a few months back, a Bangladeshi Muslim by the name of Fakhrul Islam was captured and detained in Texas after crossing the border illegally from Mexico. One of the men he was captured with was an MS-13 member. Coincidence? Or is MS-13--which has no allegiance to anyone or anything other than the almighty dollar--actively helping to smuggle Islamic terrorists into the United States? MS-13's motivation for doing this is above all financial. But the intimidation factor that comes with being associated with the baddest boys on the block at the moment--Al-Qaeda--undoubtedly appeals to MS-13 as well.
So why haven't we heard more about MS-13? First off, the last thing the government wants to do is draw attention to America's Swiss cheese-like southern border. Although polls show that the American public is up in arms over the lack of border security, both the Republican and Democratic parties have basically turned a blind eye to illegal immigration. If news leaked that secular criminal gangs like MS-13 were now actively aiding Islamic terrorists, it would cause an even bigger backlash. But make no mistake: the government is fully aware of this potential MS-13/Al-Qaeda threat. Shortly after it emerged earlier this year that MS-13 was working with Islamists, the Department of Homeland Security began a series of crackdowns on criminal gangs in the U.S. called Operation Community Shield. At a press conference on Monday, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff touted the arrests (which numbered over 500, and incluided several MS-13 members) as a major step forward in the battle against violent crime in America. And although he didn't say it, it may just have been a victory in the War on Terror as well.
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