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President Vicente Fox wary of radical Islamic influence as Muslim converts increase in Mexico

Islam on march south of border
Mexico agrees to monitor foreign groups as Muslim recruitment rate skyrockets

Posted: June 7, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Joseph Farah
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

WASHINGTON – Islam is on the move in Mexico and throughout Latin America, making dramatic gains in converting the native population, increasing immigration, establishing businesses and charities and attracting attention from U.S. government officials who have asked their neighbors to the south to keep an eye on foreign Muslim groups.

The monitoring of foreign groups is intended to "avoid problems in Mexico that have an impact in the United States," said the head of the Attorney General Office's special terrorism investigation unit, Gen. Jorge Serrano.

"The ones who ... are being watched by migration (authorities) are foreigners," Serrano said, without revealing the number of people being monitored or their countries of origin.

Serrano said no Muslim terrorists have been found living in Mexico, though the office is investigating alleged terrorist activities being carried out by Mexicans.

The recruitment of new followers is especially active in southern Mexico and among the indigenous Mayans who are converting by the hundreds, according to a report in Der Spiegel. The Mexican government, the report says, is concerned about a culture clash in its own back yard.

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posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 8:20 PM