Mexican Troops Kidnap Texas Family?

newsmax.com ^ | Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003 | Jon E. Dougherty

[VU4G10]

As many as eight armed Mexican soldiers crossed the border near a tiny Texas hamlet and kidnapped an American family of five last week, and are still holding one of them, sources tell NewsMax. According to a law enforcement source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incident was reported to local authorities by family members upon their release the following day. From there, local officials reportedly contacted the FBI; federal officials are said to be looking into the incident.

The source said the Mexican unit may have been prompted to cross into the U.S. because the family – a father, mother and three minors – were shooting rabbits on their property near Candelaria, Texas, which is located along the border in Presidio County, about 170 miles south-southeast of El Paso.

A law enforcement bulletin describing the incident said the "family of five kidnapped … by Mexican officials at gunpoint" occurred around 5 p.m. local time Nov. 24. U.S. border authorities were notified the next day.

The family was "taken by gunpoint by Mexican officials to Mexico," the bulletin said. "As of Nov. 25 … four of the family members – one female and three minors – were released, while (the father) Escarcega, Ladislado remains in custody."

Presidio County, Texas authorities confirmed to NewsMax the incident had been reported to the sheriff's department, but a spokesman there said the FBI had taken over the investigation and referred questions surrounding the report to them.

An FBI spokeswoman in Washington, D.C., referred NewsMax to the bureau's El Paso, Texas office, but no one there returned calls seeking comment.

Nevertheless, the bulletin provided more specifics.

Shooting at Rabbits

"It's believed that the family members were shooting at rabbits along the [Rio Grande] river at the time of their kidnapping," the bulletin said. "Local law enforcement was contacted after the release of family members."

In the meantime, said the bulletin, "sector intelligence is continuing to gather information on the occurrence where … follow-up information is needed."

Law enforcement sources said the family was not shooting into Mexico or otherwise threatening Mexican military or civilian personnel.

The latest incursion into the U.S. by armed Mexican troops follows a series of similar incidents directed against U.S. civilians and law enforcement authorities. The most high-profile kidnapping occurred in August 1985, when an eight-man squad of Mexican troops crossed the border onto private property in San Diego County.

The troops came looking specifically for Robert Maupin, the land owner, after he reported the presence of a met amphetamine lab to the Drug Enforcement Agency, which in turn reported it to Mexican authorities. The lab, Maupin told officials, was visible from his land inside the U.S.

More recently, in May 2002, three armed Mexican troops in a military Humvee on the U.S. side of the border near Ajo, Ariz., fired on a Border Patrol agent in his vehicle. As the agent drove away from the scene, a bullet shattered the back glass of his Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle, which as clearly labeled with U.S. Border Patrol markings.

House Immigration Reform Caucus chairman Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told the Washington Times in a year ago his office had documented 118 instances where Mexican military or law enforcement had been seen on U.S. soil. In 60 percent of those cases, he said, the Mexicans were armed.

[Pharmboy]

We need the UN to look into this...they'll save us.

[thatdewd]

It won't be long before somebody has to shoot a few of those invading foreign troops in self-defense. I wonder, is it illegal for a private citizen to defend our nation from invasion by a foreign power or are we just supposed to watch it happen? If foreign troops show up in my yard acting belligerently, I'm gonna shoot those SOBs. Repeatedly.

[Rockitz]

I'm suprised Mexico fell for this again. Last time we suckered them into a border dispute it cost them everything from Texas to California. Oh, well, this will be one way to control our borders. Of course, when the border is with El Salvador, there is a lot less land for us to patrol.

LOL. The old rabbit shooting ploy works every time.

[MrFreedom]

the news media is a joke

[No Blue States]

"We need the UN to look into this...they'll save us."

LOL!!!!!!

OUCH.

Kofi would claim the Mexicans are being abused.

[JustPiper]

It may be Newsmax but Dougherty has covered illegals extensively also on WND. I wonder why this article was not in his usual Friday column at WND? Another thing I question is that he wrote the title of his column ending it in a ???

[JustPiper]

Hasn't NewsMax been more accurate than say Drudge? ;)

[JustPiper]

Let's ask someone in the know. HiJinx in your opinion how credible is this?

[JustPiper]

I know he is but his record shows good at FAIR?

[JustPiper]

Thanx Dana!

there have been over 115 INCURSIONS since 1996

On May 17th, a Mexican Army unit led an incursion near Ajo, Arizona that ended with a shot being fired at a Border Patrol Agent. The agent was not hurt, but had two of his vehicle’s windows shot out. On June 14th, the Mexican Army opened fire (with high-powered .308 rifles) on a vehicle with 20 people packed into it. Six of the passengers were injured, two critically.

Despite Rep. Tancredo’s efforts to draw attention to them, each incident received only spotty coverage.

The issue of incursions needs to be confronted by the U.S. government before a catastrophic incident involving the loss of life occurs. If you have specific information about an incursion by Mexican military or law enforcement, please contact Rep. Tancredo’s office at (202) 225-7882 or tom.tancredo@mail.house.gov. You will remain anonymous.

[Paul C. Jesup]

I prefer reading Frontpage Magazine.

[JustPiper]

To bad a General Patton isn't around. This problem could be solved in about three days.

Bump!

[JustPiper]

Shut down all the cash transfer outfits like Western Union, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, etc. Turn off that $12 Billion cash pipeline and see what crawls out from under the rocks then!

Ooooo, I like it Bump!

[JustPiper]

This happens

[Centurion2000]

I wonder, is it illegal for a private citizen to defend our nation from invasion by a foreign power

Nope ... it's expected.

[JustPiper]

Time to email Dougherty and ask him why would he print this without backup or is that what the '?' is for?

[Consort]

....The police are just doing their job.

[JustPiper]

El Paso Times 870 pounds of drugs smuggled on horses - Interstate 10 in Fort Hancock

[JustPiper]

Well, at least ICE is doing something:

Four In Jail For Alien Smuggling - POSTED December 1, 2003

[longtermmemmory]

This story should be breaking headline news. Mexican arrogance about our boarder has to be stopped with lead.