A terror suspect from Afghanistan, who officials say was involved in a plot to attack North America, was among a group smuggled into the United States through Mexico before being nabbed by law enforcement officials,
The Washington Times reported.
He was one of at least a dozen men brought to the U.S. border with the help of a Brazilian-based smuggling network and their cohorts in Mexico, according to the newspaper, which said it reviewed internal government documents.
The Times report said: "Those smuggled included Palestinians, Pakistanis and the Afghan man who Homeland Security officials said had family ties to the Taliban and was 'involved in a plot to conduct an attack in the U.S. and/or Canada.'"
The newspaper said the suspect is now in custody. The paper agreed to withhold his name at the request of law enforcement officials.
While some of those working with the smuggling network were apprehended before making it into the U.S., the Afghan terror suspect was part of a group that made it from Mexico into Arizona, according to the Times.
And the
Daily Mail newspaper in London reports the suspect and five Pakistani men made it to a ranch 15 miles into Arizona before being caught.
The British newspaper added: "The man's terror links were not immediately flagged up to border officers because he was not listed on their watch list. His family ties to the Taliban were eventually uncovered after his name was run through an FBI database."
The men made it from their home regions to Brazil and then 10 other countries before attempting to cross the U.S. border.