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| MS-13 will target Minuteman vigil on Mexico border |
| 2005-03-28 |
| EFL: NACO, Ariz. -- Members of a violent Central America-based gang have been sent to Arizona to target Minuteman Project volunteers, who will begin a monthlong border vigil this weekend to find and report foreigner sneaking into the United States, project officials say. James Gilchrist, a Vietnam veteran who helped organize the vigil to protest the federal government's failure to control illegal immigration, said he has been told that California and Texas leaders of Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, have issued orders to teach "a lesson" to the Minuteman volunteers. "We're not worried because half of our recruits are retired trained combat soldiers," Mr. Gilchrist said. "And those guys are just a bunch of punks." More than 1,000 volunteers are expected to take part in the Minuteman vigil, which will include civilian patrols along a 20-mile section of the San Pedro River Valley, which has become a frequent entry point to the United States for foreigner headed north. About 40 percent of the 1.15 million foreign nationals caught last year by the U.S. Border Patrol trying to gain illegal entry to the United States were apprehended along a 260-mile stretch of the Arizona border here known as the Tucson sector. Many of the Minuteman volunteers are expected to be armed, although organizers of the border vigil have prohibited them from carrying rifles. Only those people with a license to carry a handgun will be allowed to do so, Mr. Gilchrist said. An operational plan calls for teams of four to eight volunteers to be deployed along the targeted 20-mile stretch of border at intervals of 200 to 300 yards, along with observation posts and a command center. Mr. Gilchrist said some of the patrols and posts will be right on the U.S.-Mexico border, while others will be located farther north. The volunteers also have been told to "make lots of noise and burn campfires at night to be very visible." According to guidelines issued to the volunteers earlier this month, organizers said they expect that they will be targeted by various protest groups and others and that some protesters would try to provoke confrontations. "If we are to send the message loud and clear to President Bush and Congress, it is imperative we stay within the law," Mr. Gilchrist said. "If one single person steps over the line for their personal gratification, we are all stained with that irresponsible behavior and labeled forever as a fringe element that embarrasses all who are counting on us to make this historic statement," he said. The MS-13 gang has established major smuggling operations in several areas along the U.S.-Mexico border and have transported hundreds of Central and South Americans -- including gang members -- into the United States in the past two years. The gang also is involved in drug and weapons smuggling. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #16 This will not happen.No way can a threat like that be carried out. Just blubber,from somewhere. |
| Posted by: crazyhorse 2005-03-28 10:41:24 PM |
| #15 Mexicans want to live in America the easier way is to move the border south a bit. Start with Baja. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2005-03-28 7:22:17 PM |
| #14 Forgot to mention: Michelle Malkin has set up a group blog on Immigration issues. Stop by and check it out. Fred, can you get Michelle to link to Rantburg? I think you deserve it. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2005-03-28 3:10:29 PM |
| #13 I'm very concerned about the Minutemen and their approach to trying to close the border. I do expect one or two of them to be killed, either by coyotes, gang members, drug smugglers, or Mexican soldiers. If something like that DOES happen, and the President still refuses to do anything, I think every retired military guy in North America should join the Minutemen, and start patrolling, armed to the teeth and with air support, even if it's a Piper Cub and some dude with night-vision goggles. I think it's also time to start building that chain-link fence from Brownsville to the Pacific, juice it up with about 40,000volts at 120amps, add claymores, above- and below-ground motion sensors, and machine gun nests every 100 yards, an unpaved road, and several hundred motorcycle-riding militiamen swinging past on unscheduled patrol runs, complete with air support and 4-wheel-drive armed backup. This is not just a bunch of people coming north to work - this is a deliberate attempt to undermine our sovereignty in the Southwest, with fatal consequences to our Republic if it isn't stopped. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2005-03-28 3:07:12 PM |
| #12 Last time Latin banditos crossed the border in force Black Jack Pershing went after them. Wasn't long after that the Government of Mexico was replaced. I would think it is in the best interests of Mexico to come down hard on this gang. ON the other hand, like Al Queda, thugs often make threats when they cannot actually DO something. That is most likely the case here. If they really wanted to bloody the Minute Men they wouldn't have sent out a warning first. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2005-03-28 2:40:57 PM |
| #11 Nota Bene: A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that works. --John Gaule |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-03-28 12:49:16 PM |
| #10 Bushie is going to have wake up on this issue. especially being a Texan he should have a first hand issue with this problema. PS i wonder how many first generation mexican-Americans are in this outfit. |
| Posted by: Rightwing 2005-03-28 12:06:37 PM |
| #9 YS - numerous documented incursions, especially in the AZ area now (San Diego's fence cut off these games) usually excused as "map-reading mistakes", but occassionally with gunfire and arrests, then repatriation |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-03-28 11:45:30 AM |
| #8 Hey - Is there really incursions by the mexican army into US territory? If so - why is nothing done about it? Do we do the same thing to them? Is there any definative evidence that could be brought to the blogs? |
| Posted by: Yosemite Sam 2005-03-28 11:04:35 AM |
| #7 no one need worry seriously about MS getting off their ass and coming in to attack. That would take strategic operational planning of which, this gang does not have. This would take discipline and a functionally operating vehicle, which again, this gang does not have. They would have to put down the weed and stop drinking for a day to do it, and they're just not prepared to go all the way. They may be willing but definitely not ready or capable. I would say the Minutemen's greatest threats are from desperate illegal immigrants crossing that are armed and panic-strickenly dangerous, and/or from the coyotes and human-smugglers that are armed. God Speed to the Minute Men! |
| Posted by: shellback 2005-03-28 10:55:34 AM |
| #6 "We're not worried because half of our recruits are retired trained combat soldiers," Mr. Gilchrist said. "And those guys are just a bunch of punks." All you need to know about the Minutemen is in that statement! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2005-03-28 10:46:56 AM |
| #5 If fired upon, volunteers, if they are able, and Border Patrol agents should fire back, no questions asked. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-03-28 10:18:19 AM |
| #4 Maybe this will get it through in Washington that the reason a violent gang is worried about this is because of drug smuggling, human smuggling and maybe even weapon smuggling (see anti-aircraft missiles and bombs) for terrorist groups. I still believe that in order for anything to get done about the border it is gonna take a lot of blood being spilled. More than likely a terrorist attack. Stoopid fooken politicians. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-03-28 10:09:45 AM |
| #3 This is welcome news in my opinion. If this is what it takes for the Feds to become serious about enforcing our border security, so be it. I certainly don't want any "vigilante" blood spilled--let that be clear--and for that reason I'm thankful that MS-13 was kind enough to announce their plans before implementing them. Maybe this will motivate someone, like, oh, say GEORGE W. BUSH, to get serious about protecting our borders. |
| Posted by: Dar 2005-03-28 9:53:15 AM |
| #2 FUNK MS-13! I hope our guys put a dent into MS-13's criminal pathways into the US. I hope our guys are well armed, I'm sure they will be, if needed. |
| Posted by: Ebbeager Gliling6223 2005-03-28 9:29:43 AM |
| #1 If true, it appears things may get uglier on the border. Perhaps that's exactly what it takes to motive us to address the problem sooner rather than later. |
| Posted by: Tkat 2005-03-28 9:12:02 AM |