Responding to the New York Times article I was skeptical about earlier today, Condoleezza Rice said this afternoon that the United States’ view of the Hizballah terrorist organization has not changed.

MEXICO CITY (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US still considers Hezbollah a “terrorist” organization despite the group showing its major political influence in Lebanon this week with a huge demonstration in Beirut.

“The American view of Hezbollah has not changed,” Rice told reporters on a plane bound for Mexico.

She also warned that terrorists are trying to enter the US through the southern border.

“Indeed we have from time to time had reports about al-Qaida trying to use our southern border but also trying to use our northern border,” Rice told reporters. “There is no secret that al-Qaida will try to get into this country and into other countries by any means they possibly can.

”That’s how they managed to do it before and they will do everything that they can to cross the borders,“ she said.

Recent intelligence from current investigations, detentions and other sources suggests that al-Qaida has considered using the Southwest border to infiltrate the United States, according to testimony from a top Homeland Security Department official last month before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

”Several al-Qaida leaders believe operatives can pay their way into the country through Mexico, and also believe illegal entry is more advantageous than legal entry for operational security reasons,“ James Loy, deputy secretary at the time, said in his testimony. …

Rice said progress has been made in securing the border since Sept. 11, 2001. But she also said the United States is obligated to alert its citizens of concerns.

”We and the Mexicans have a robust dialogue about border security, and I believe we’re going to continue to have that,“ she said. ”This is not a matter of pointing fingers. This is a matter of really trying to get the best possible coordination and work that we can so that there’s safety for citizens in both countries, on both sides of the border.”