Thousands of displaced Syrians, Iraqis and Afghan's wait to enter at a reception center on October 14, 2015 in Mitilini, Greece. (2015 Getty Images)
Honduran authorities confirmed on Wednesday the arrest of five Syrians who attempted to enter the Central American country with false passports with the intent of entering the United States.
The Syrians entered Honduras using Greek passports, which were purportedly stolen in Athens. The men intended to travel to San Pedro Sula, in northern Honduras, and then move by land to the United States. There are varying reports about what country the men were previously in – either Costa Rica or El Salvador – and when they arrived in Honduras. Reports say they arrived over the weekend or on Tuesday night.
“From the information we got from Athens, Greece, we knew they were heading this way,” Aníbal Baca, a police spokesman in Honduras, told local newspaper La Prensa. “The passports were stolen there, these are not their real names; we are working on confirming their identities.”
Authorities have not yet determined if there is any connection between the five Syrians detained and those involved in the terror attacks in Paris last week.
"The government of Honduras is on alert for what is happening internationally,” Baca told reporters. “We will coordinate with the Attorney General to establish the legal status of these people.”
The five men are currently being held by Honduran immigration officials as authorities try to determine their true identity.
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