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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Failure to pay extortion money triggered attack |
| 2011-08-27 |
| Death Toll Revised to 52 By Chris Covert The death toll is Thursday's assault on a Monterrey, Nuevo Leon casino was revised downward Friday by one to 52 dead, as the Procuradora General Republica (PGR), the Mexican national attorney general's office has offered a reward of MP $30 million (USD $2,404,077.00) for information leading to the capture of the suspects involved in Thursday's massacre, according to Mexican news accounts. A partial list of the dead can be seen here News reports and unofficial accounts now say that the Casino Royale was under threat by both the Los Zetas and Gulf Cartels to pay extortion money. No official reports have been released confirming whether the attack was a Los Zetas attack. The Gulf Cartel demanded and was receiving MP $50,000 (USD $4006.79) a week while a local Los Zetas group failed to receive its extortion payment said to be MP $130,000 (USD $10,417.67) a week. The failure was the likely trigger for the attack. According to animalpolitico.com in a Radio Formula radio interview with Denise Maerker, Mexican criminal group expert Eduardo Guerrero said that the Casino Royale was attacked with firearms back in January, 2010 when an assassination attempt was made on the lives of two Juarez Cartel bosses who were in the casino at the time. The revelation did not detail if the casino itself was the target or if the cartel bosses were the putative target. Thursday's attack took less than three minutes and involved at least six suspects and three vehicles. In a news conference Nuevo Leon Governor Rodrigo de la Cruz released the casino's close circuit video of the attack. See here. A late report by El Diario de Coauila said that the Mini Cooper used in the attack was found Friday afternoon in the Buenos Aires colony of Monterrey. It had been previously reported as stolen. Earlier statements by unidentified officials said that no shots were fired in the attack. Officials have confirmed that more closed circuit video was being examined for forensic purposes. A report published in El Diario de Coahuila said that firearms were found inside the building after the attack, although no detail were released as to the type and quantity. The revelation does not square with earlier statements,and indicates that other armed individuals were in the casino when it was attacked. It is hard to believe that the attackers actually left weapons inside the casino. In related news, close to 1,000 Mexican military troops were ordered into the city to provide security and to fight crime. |
| Posted by:badanov |