At least 14 al-Qaeda members are said to be in Mexico, unnamed US officials told the Times.

The al-Qaeda members reportedly are working with Mexican organized crime groups, such as drug-trafficking organizations, in an attempt to enter the United States covertly.

Intelligence officials said captured al-Qaeda operations chief Khalid Shaikh Mohammed recently told US officials that was planning to carry out a firebombing attack on Washington's Metrorail.

The al-Qaeda official said a firebombing was planned for a stretch of the subway between Capitol Hill and the White House.

Mohammed, who was arrested in Pakistan in early March and who remains in US custody at an undisclosed location, is one of the highest-ranking al-Qaeda leaders captured in the war against terror.

SPACE.WIRE