Mexican Drug Cartel threatens to kidnap and murder FLEO's

[txinvestigator1]

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky...s/10768321.htm

FBI warns agents of kidnapping plot along U.S.-Mexico border

BY ALFREDO CORCHADO

The Dallas Morning News

McALLEN, Texas - (KRT) - An already tense situation along the border worsened Saturday amid an internal FBI memo warning that a ruthless Mexican drug cartel could be plotting to kidnap and murder U.S. federal law enforcement agents.

Although the plot specifically targets two unidentified agents of the FBI, the bulletin warns that "due to the nature of this immediate threat, all law enforcement personnel are being cautioned to ensure appropriate measures are taken as well as to keep a high degree of vigilance," the bulletin stated.

The threats originate from members of the Osiel Cardenas-Guillen cartel, the bulletin said, "an extremely violent Mexican drug trafficking organization commonly referred to as the Gulf Cartel. This cartel is alleged to have recently assembled over 250 armed men near the Mexican border town of Matamoros, Tamaulipas" across from Brownsville, Texas.

The gulf cartel has a presence in 13 Mexican states, operating with a paramilitary arm, integrated from ex-members of the Mexican armed forces known as the Zetas, who remain loyal to Cardenas, one of the country's most powerful cartel bosses jailed in a Mexican federal prison.

A "contingent of this group," the bulletin continued, "are believed to have valid visas and passports, allowing them legal entry into the United States. It is further implied that once kidnapped in the U.S., these two agents will be returned to Mexico where they will be killed."

The consequences of this and other recent warnings were evident along the 2,000-mile U.S. border with Mexico, as shoppers again stayed away from popular border destinations, from Ciudad Juarez to Reynosa.

In Brownsville, a group of Texas lawmakers who had been scheduled to meet with the Tamaulipas governor and mayors, rearranged their agenda so that their Mexican counterparts could instead meet them on the U.S. side.

"Any threat from the cartels, or splinter groups has to be taken seriously by law enforcement," said Phil Jordan, former director of the El Paso Intelligence Center. "These organizations operate at almost at the level of terrorist. Their ruthlessness is only second to terrorists."

The warning comes following a crackdown by the Mexican government on the Gulf Cartel, which calls home this region stretching from Nuevo Laredo to Reynosa and Matamoros.

Two weeks ago, federal authorities raided La Palma prison in the state of Mexico to take back control of the institution from jailed kingpins - chiefly Benjamin Arellano Felix, the head of the so-called Tijuana Cartel, and Cardenas, the head of the Gulf Cartel.

A week later, the bodies of six workers at a maximum-security prison in the city of Matamoros were found just outside the prison walls, their bullet-ridden bodies stuffed into a van and killed by what Mexican authorities believe were members of the Zetas.

Last Sunday, about 650 federal agents and 30 tanks stormed the Matamoros penitentiary. They now patrol Matamoros and Reynosa, just across from McAllen.

The extreme violence along the border, plus rash of kidnapping of U.S. citizens - 25 in the last six months in Nuevo Laredo alone - led to a travel alert by the State Department, accompanied by a letter from U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza.

On Saturday, Garza had breakfast with Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez, at which the two sides tried to defuse the incident sparked by the U.S. travel warning.

In a joint statement, Garza said he originally sought to "clarify" the state department's alert by trying to "highlight the fact that the wave of border violence is a result of the successful efforts of President Fox's administration in the fight against organized crime."

The two sides also agreed that "most urban violence in the border region is caused by fighting among gangs, mainly drug traffickers, struggling for control of the narcotics trade, as ever more leaders of major criminal organizations have been arrested by Mexican law enforcement officials."

[Group9]

Well, they've done it before, so you can't blow them off.

[txinvestigator1]

Yep. I met Phil Jordan, the former El Paso DEA chief whose El Paso PD son was killed by them.

[Group9]

In a way, it has been amazing that there hasn't been more of this type of activity when you think about how they routinely kill Mexican police officers who don't give them nearly as much trouble as U.S. officers do.

But, I really think it is going to come sooner or later.

[Sleuth]

These warnings came out about every six months. Pay heed, but, along "la linea", it's routine.

[JeffNights]

I have been begging this question for awhile now.

Why isnt there a military border force?
do you really think any taxpaying voter would be against it? ok of couse a few, but the majority would love it.

[TheQuietCorner]

That's a good question. I wonder if that would make the Mexican government a little nervous. I don't know.

[tunlrat]

As a taxpayer, I like the idea but two words get in the way: "posse comitatus."

[Explorer939]

The Mexican government probably wouldn't mind. Border Patrol is one of the most undermanned agencies in the country. If not an all military BP, then maybe some military units attached (MPs and the like) to help interdict. If the Mex. cartels want to kidnap federal agents, maybe we should allow Delta Force to make some cartel bosses drop off the radar. (D-boys are great for that sorta thing.) I'm sure that by the 2nd or 3rd missing cartel boss, they would get the message and cut the crap.

[Johninaustin]

"rolleyes" Been playing too many video games. In case you haven't noticed, the Military is kind of busy at the moment. The rest of what you propose is illegal.

[aussie1]

What about a giant "Laser"??? We will call it "The Alan Parsons project", Thank you very much.

How about an electric fence??? or Punji stakes???

All good ideas, I will be sending an invoive for my consultation fees to the White House

[Sleuth]

Having worked the border for 17 years, let me tell you what some of the real issues are:
1. The Mexican Gov. would go crazy - they depend on immigration to keep a lid on their problems. Close the border for real, and get ready for a revolution down south. Most of the illegals are the best and brightest of Mexico, who would be their middle class. Plus, they need the cash they send south to keep their economy going.
2. The Posse act does not apply, as the Army would not be enforcing the laws within the United States. I would still not like to have the Army there, stay with an expanded BP.
3. There are many in this country who want an open border with Mexico - mostly those who don't live along the border, or live in gated and guarded communities. This includes many who belive lots of these folks would vote for a certain political party, currently not in power.

Did you know that the Border fence is only intended to keep cattle out? And that there is no fence along mile of the border?

There are big political issues involved with closing the border.

[cmras24]

It's About Politics, MONEY AND VOTES>

[JBT]

I agree with expanding BP, the Big Green Machine, needs many more troops. I know a quite a few BP agents and to hear the stories, it sometimes seems amazing the agents that are there stay. BP needs a good, strong hiring period. Some of the members here that are looking for a foot in the door in FLE, that would be a good place to start. Loads of experience, quick, and other agencies look highly upon that service when you look for other FLE opportunities, ie. 1811. If you like the southern border and can speak spanish, there you go.