EL PASO, Texas, October 5.— Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles is to remain in a U.S. immigration detention center for now, and authorities say the criminal should continue searching for a third country that will take him in, despite an extradition application submitted by Venezuela.

The day before the 30th anniversary of the criminal attack on a Cubana airliner, representatives of the George W. Bush government insisted that Posada Carriles should be held until shelter is found for him outside the United States, but are ignoring the fact that his terrorist crimes remain unpunished.

According to an AP report, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials informed the prisoner yesterday morning of the decision to continue his temporary detention.

Spokeswoman Leticia Zamarripa said the decision to continue holding Posada was based in part on Posada's potential flight risk and danger to the community, as well as his failure to demonstrate that that "there was no significant likelihood that he could be removed from the United States within the foreseeable future," the AP reported.

Posada was also told that the Department of Homeland Security is considering, in consultation with the State Department, whether or not to continue his detention because "his release may have serious adverse foreign policy consequences in the United States," Zamarripa said.

The decision comes after U.S. Magistrate Norbert Garney ruled on September 11 that Posada should be released while the government finds a country to deport him to.

In a hearing in August challenging his detention, a U.S. deportation officer said that no country approached by the government would accept Posada. Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador all rejected official requests made by Washington.