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Gun-smuggling cartel figures possibly were paid FBI informants
LA Times ^ | July 17, 2011 | Richard A. Serrano

Posted on 07/17/2011 9:38:33 PM PDT by neverdem

Probe reveals that the U.S. agency running the 'Fast and Furious' anti-gun-trafficking operation didn't know about the alleged FBI informants. Congressional investigators are looking into the matter.

Congressional investigators probing the controversial "Fast and Furious" anti-gun-trafficking operation on the border with Mexico believe at least six Mexican drug cartel figures involved in gun smuggling also were paid FBI informants, officials said Saturday.

The investigators have asked the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration for details about the alleged informants, as well as why agents at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which ran the Fast and Furious operation, were not told about them.

The development raises further doubts about the now-shuttered program, which was created in November 2009 in an effort to track guns across the border and unravel the cartels' gun smuggling networks. The gun tracing largely failed, however, and hundreds of weapons purchased in U.S. shops later were found at crime scenes in Mexico.

The scandal has angered Mexican officials and some members of Congress. Investigators say nearly 2,500 guns were allowed to flow illegally into Mexico under the ATF program, fueling the drug violence ravaging that country and leading to the shooting death of a U.S. border agent.

In a letter to FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, the investigators asked why U.S. taxpayers' money apparently was paid to Mexican cartel members who have terrorized the border region for years in their efforts to smuggle drugs into this country, and to ship U.S. firearms into Mexico.

"We have learned of the possible involvement of paid FBI informants in Operation Fast and Furious," wrote Rep. Darrel Issa (R-Vista), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The two have...

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Mexico; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: atf; banglist; castaway; dea; doj; fastandfurious; fbi; gunrunner; gunwalker; holder; obama
Family of U.S. agent slain in Mexico demands to know gun source

Same author and same date!

1 posted on 07/17/2011 9:38:41 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

Shades of Oklahoma City.


2 posted on 07/17/2011 9:40:28 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: vette6387; MetaThought; 60Gunner; XHogPilot; FreedomPoster; Josephat; Prince of Space; ...

FOR REFERENCE:

3 posted on 07/17/2011 9:58:51 PM PDT by MestaMachine (Guns don't kill people, the obama administration does. (Gunwalker Ping List))
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To: neverdem

Part of Omama job creation


4 posted on 07/17/2011 10:01:25 PM PDT by M-cubed
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To: ozzymandus

So was 9/11 trainer, Ali Mohamed.


5 posted on 07/17/2011 10:04:08 PM PDT by Palter (Celebrate diversity .22, .223, .25, 9mm, .32 .357, 10mm, .44, .45, .500)
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To: ozzymandus

Interesting you say that. My feeling at the time was that the Oklahoma City bombing was Clinton’s attempt at a Reichstag fire. They had been vilifying militias for months prior to that happening.


6 posted on 07/17/2011 10:05:21 PM PDT by KamperKen
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To: neverdem

Perfect time to leak information about paid informants. Gets
rid of some witnesses and helps cover their tracks. Might as
well say there “were” 6 informants.


7 posted on 07/17/2011 10:08:45 PM PDT by Slambat (The right to keep and bear arms. Anything one man can carry, drive or pull.)
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To: neverdem

Both the cartels and drug warriors have a mutual interest in keeping prohibition going, so it is not surprising they are collaborating. Besides, we trained most of the Zetas so they probably know each other on a first name basis.


8 posted on 07/17/2011 10:10:51 PM PDT by microgood
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To: KamperKen
I'm not so sure it was completely a Reichstag fire, but they stripped it and Flight 800 of any possible Muslim Terrorist connections and presented OK City as home-grown and Fl 800 as an 'accident'.

They definitely used it to defuse the public anger over Waco and Ruby Ridge by making it seem 'paybacks' had been exacted in the public psyche.

IIRC, it was an FBI informant who showed the WTC bombers how to mix the explosives back when, too.

9 posted on 07/17/2011 10:55:06 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: M-cubed

When the artels get work that there may be FBI paid informants on the payroll, there will likely be some job openings...


10 posted on 07/17/2011 11:12:23 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: Smokin' Joe

“artels get work”=”Cartels get word”. Sheesh.


11 posted on 07/17/2011 11:43:47 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: M-cubed

“Obama pals around with terrorists” Sarah Palin


12 posted on 07/18/2011 3:48:32 AM PDT by Crim (Palin / West '12)
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To: neverdem

Well, when Uncle Sugar comes around handing out money and weapons, the cartel members would be stupid to turn down either. Does anyone think the information that was paid for with our tax money was anything but worthless?


13 posted on 07/18/2011 4:02:57 AM PDT by Fresh Wind ('People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook.' Richard M. Nixon)
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To: Smokin' Joe

Off on a tangent...

Typos are great! I like figuring out what the poster meant, how phonetically his brain was working during the typing (it happens a lot with they’re, their, there), how distracted he was, and whether he used spiel chick.

Your post was easy. ;-)


14 posted on 07/18/2011 6:04:04 AM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
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To: neverdem

bflr


15 posted on 07/18/2011 7:37:35 AM PDT by Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid! (Allen West 2012 Make it happen!)
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To: neverdem

Obama lied, and Citizens DIED!!


16 posted on 07/18/2011 8:03:27 PM PDT by 2harddrive
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To: MestaMachine

Obama lied, and Citizens DIED!!


17 posted on 07/18/2011 8:05:14 PM PDT by 2harddrive
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