ATF let gun cross border that killed US agent

Founding Ideals ^ | 2/27/2011 | Aaron Gee

[agee]

CBS news is reporting that the ATF let firearms be illegally imported into Mexico in the hopes that it could trace the firearms later. One of the firearms that the ATF “let go” later was used in a gunfight where a federal agent died. Reportedly the ATF has let more than 2,500 illegally purchased firearms into Mexico.

A couple of items that stick out in the article

* 1. It was the private dealers flagged the sales as suspicious and wanted to stop the sale. The ATF asked them to make the sale anyway.

* 2. Agents wanted to intercept guns at the border and were told to “stand down”.

The ATF was the agency that laid siege to the Waco compound of David Koresh. That incident ultimately ended in the death of more than 76 of Koresh’s followers, including 20 children. The agency was also involved in the Ruby Ridge case, and the Ken Ballew Raid.

The ATF ultimately reports to the Department of Justice and Eric “no voter intimidation here” Holder. When an agency has a history of questionable decisions, strong moral leadership is very important. Is it any wonder that they’ve made such a bad decision in light of who the agency ultimately reports to?

This entire affair makes me feel sorry for the Mexican authorities, with friends like the ATF letting in thousands of illegal firearms, who needs enemies?

[agee]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/23/eveningnews/main20035609.shtml

Here is the primary link that also includes a PDF to the indictment of the gunrunners.

[archy]

One of the firearms that the ATF “let go” later was used in a gunfight where a federal agent died. Reportedly the ATF has let more than 2,500 illegally purchased firearms into Mexico.

Nope. Two of the rifles used were traced. One was used to shoot CBP Agent Terry from behind, the other used to "finish him off."

After the shooting of CBP Agent Terry, law enforcement officials recovered from the scene two assault rifles. On December 16, 2010, ATF's trace results confirmed that serial numbers 1983AH3977 and 1971CZ3755 match two of the three rifles purchased by Avila and tracked by the ATF nearly a year earlier. In addition to these specific weapons, the indictment of Avila and other reference approximately 769 firearms. Of those, the indictment refers to the recovery of only about 103 weapons. So, where are the other approximately 666 weapons referenced in the indictment?" ">

[mad_as_he$$]

Try this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2679867/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2679887/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2679226/posts

[archy]

Guy’s sense of the passage of time is a little skewed, I think. Kenyon Ballew was shot, IIRC, in the early 70’s. While I was still living at home, before I graduated high school...

Pretty close. It was in June of 1971. Interestingly enough, Balley was actually shot by Prince George's County police Officer Lou Ciamillo, along with ATFD, [The BATF designation at that time] who was the only one who actually hit the peson he was aiming for, with his off-duty Walther .380 PPK.

[agee]

Your tax dollars at work

[Old Student]

“Pretty close. It was in June of 1971. Interestingly enough, Balley was actually shot by Prince George’s County police Officer Lou Ciamillo, along with ATFD, [The BATF designation at that time] who was the only one who actually hit the peson he was aiming for, with his off-duty Walther .380 PPK.”

The day I got my copy of The American Rifleman with the article about that is the day I became a 2nd Amendment nut...

That was probably most of a year after the incident, or maybe more. Been riled up about that sort of thing ever since.

OS