Posted on 12/29/2011 11:17:13 PM PST by neverdem
‘Fast and Furious’ Linked to Immunity Deal Between U.S. and Sinaloa Cartel, Trafficking Defendant Alleges in Court Papers
A Mexican drug trafficker awaiting trial in a Chicago federal court claims that the notorious Sinaloa cartel received weapons from "Operation Fast and Furious" under an alleged immunity agreement that the U.S. government made with cartel leaders, in exchange for information on rival gangs.
The defendant in a trafficking case before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Vicente Jesus Zambada-Niebla, also claims the immunity deal allowed the criminal cartel to "continue to smuggle tons of illicit drugs" into the United States.
He wants the U.S. government to provide documents relating to the botched gun running sting operation along the southwest border, arguing that it would benefit his defense.
Operation Fast and Furious, which began in September 2009, saw the Phoenix office of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives supervise the sale of guns to straw purchasers with the intent of tracing the guns to Mexican drug trafficking organizations and prosecuting their members. The ATF allowed about 2,000 guns to be sold in this manner.
The operation came under congressional scrutiny after it was linked to the December 2010 murder of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry at the hands of Mexican bandits.
An investigative report, spearheaded by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), found that most of the weapons provided to Mexican criminals under the operation were going to the Sinaloa cartel, arguably one of the world's largest drug trafficking organizations.
In a court pleading filed last July, Zambada-Niebla made the claims about an immunity deal.
"Mr. Zambada-Niebla believes that the documentation that he requests will confirm that the weapons received by Sinaloa Cartel members and its leaders in Operation 'Fast & Furious' were provided under the agreement entered into between the United States government and [a Mexican lawyer] on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel that is the subject of his defense...," it said.
"Mr. Zambada-Niebla believes that the documentation will also provide evidence showing that the United States government has a policy and pattern of providing benefits, including immunity, to cartel leaders, including the Sinaloa Cartel and their members, who are willing to provide information against rival drug cartels."
The defendant argued that he is protected from federal prosecution for trafficking drugs into the U.S. between 2004 and 2009 under an alleged immunity deal struck between the U.S. government and Sinaloa leaders.
According to court documents, Zambada-Niebla claims that the immunity deal provided the cartel's leadership with "carte blanche to continue to smuggle tons of illicit drugs into Chicago and the rest of the United States" in exchange for information on rival drug cartels.
U.S. prosecutors deny the existence of such an immunity deal between the U.S. government and the cartel.
Nevertheless, the U.S. government last September filed a motion to invoke the Classified Information Procedures Act, which is aimed at assuring that national security information stemming from criminal cases – such as details associated with CIA operations – are not leaked to the public during court proceedings.
In a court pleading filed in September, U.S. prosecutors claimed that Zambada-Niebla's allegations about Fast and Furious have no merit.
"Defendant requests all information in the possession of the U.S. government related to an ATF investigation referred to as 'Fast and Furious'..." it said. "Defendants request related to Fast and Furious... and other unrelated matters are gratuitous and wholly unrelated to any legitimate discovery issues in this case."
Zambada-Niebla, who was arrested in Mexico in March 2009 and extradited to the U.S. eleven months later, is accused of smuggling tons of cocaine and heroin into the U.S.
He claims he was working on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, court documents show.
The defendant's pleading highlighted a July 2011 letter sent by Issa and Grassley to Attorney General Eric Holder, "suggesting that multiple United States agencies were employing as informants members of Mexican drug organizations."
"The evidence seems to indicate that the Justice Department not only allowed criminals to smuggle weapons, but that tax payers' dollars in the form of informant payments, may have financed those engaging in such activities," the pleading added.
I don’t even know where to begin on this, but F+F keeps sounding more and more like Omoslem.
D'OH! The MSM can't take this story away from the alternate media and give the story legs until there is someway to blame Bush . . . come on think, people!
Follow the money. Either our military is incompetent or totally in on it.
Our military does what they are told to do by the the President.
What does our military have to do with it?
I wonder how many in our government are on the cartels payroll? Just too much easy money floating around.
...in exchange for information on rival gangs.Zero will negotiate with anyone, without conditions -- other than the condition that it damages US interests.
0bama, Holder and the whole lot of them are sponsors of terrorism, murder, drug trafficking, human slavery, money laundering and arms trafficking with intent to undermine a sovereign friendly nation. They have shamed the United States beyond all imagining.
Nevertheless, the U.S. government last September filed a motion to invoke the Classified Information Procedures Act, which is aimed at assuring that national security information stemming from criminal cases – such as details associated with CIA operations – are not leaked to the public during court proceedings.
That is just freaking hilarious.
"We didn't make no steenking deal! But we do have to hide what we deedn't do."
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‘Fast and Furious’ Linked to Immunity Deal Between U.S. and Sinaloa Cartel, Trafficking Defendant Alleges in Court Papers
A Mexican drug trafficker awaiting trial in a Chicago federal court claims..."
Wonder how much money was contributed to campaign coffers:
Mexican cartels === Chicago mob === political contributions === US government. Pay to play at it’s best.
No wonder they aren’t serious about closing the border.
Good gad.
Is Barry funding his election campaign with illegal drug sales.....
Kindly refrain from impugning the integrity of 'The Chicago Mob'.
The guns and drugs involved went to Mexican Street Gangs 'prolly', the Latin Kings and others like them across the city. 'The Mob' or as they're also known, 'The Outfit', would never deal with scum like those involved in F&F.
It's bad enough when they have to deal with the scummy Chicago Politicians. But fortunately they (The Mob) can go to confession and do penance for that.
Thank you.
Honest Frankie he meant no offense. Please don't whack him and stick him in a car trunk out at O'Hare Airport. 
Good question. Obama is planning an all out anti gun campaign. Bring it on. It will provide the perfect opportunity for our candidate to hit him on F&F.
This is sounding more and more like a Tom Clancy novel every day.
That’s a possibility, Mew. Is this the “missing link/blue dress/smoking gun???
MM have you seen this one?
Mag,can we get more names to cross reference?
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