To: All
THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS AN EXACT QUOTE:
http://travel.state.gov/colombia_warning.html Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
This information is current as of today, Wed Mar 03 2004 13:24:39 GMT-0800.
Colombia
March 3, 2004
This Travel Warning is being issued to remind American citizens of ongoing security concerns in Colombia, continues to warn against travel to Colombia, and notes a continuing threat in urban areas throughout Colombia. This supersedes the Travel Warning issued December 19, 2003.
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Colombia. Violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural. Citizens of the United States and other countries continue to be the victims of threats, kidnappings, and other violence. Colombian terrorist groups also operate in the border areas of neighboring countries, creating similar dangers for travelers in those areas. Bombings have caused civilian casualties throughout Colombia. Targets include supermarkets, places of entertainment, and other areas where U.S. citizens congregate. There have been no security incidents, to our knowledge, on San Andres Island (off the coast of Nicaragua).
About 2,200 kidnapping incidents were reported throughout Colombia in 2003. Since the year 2000, 28 Americans were reported kidnapped in various parts of the country. American kidnap or murder victims have included journalists, missionaries, scientists, human rights workers, U.S. government employees and businesspeople, as well as persons on tourism or family visits, and even small children. No one can be considered immune on the basis of occupation, nationality or any other factor. Most kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Colombia have been committed by terrorist groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), which have been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the Secretary of State. Since it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to, or strike deals with, terrorists, the U.S. government’s ability to assist kidnapped U.S. citizens is limited.
As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, available on the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov. U.S. travelers can also get up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 in the U.S. or Canada or on a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328.
U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet for Colombia and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement at
http://travel.state.gov. Return to Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings Page
2,330 posted on
03/03/2004 1:25:22 PM PST by
Cindy
To: piasa; backhoe; All
DEA.gov
http://www.dea.gov NOTE: View The Wanted Poster on the Front Page of DEA.gov
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS AN EXACT QUOTE:
http://www.dea.gov/pubs/pressrel/pr022704.html UP TO $5 MILLION REWARD FOR THE CAPTURE OF DRUG FUGITIVE ISMAEL ZAMBADA-GARCIA
FEB 26—The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proudly announced today that the U.S. Department of State, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada-Garcia.
Zambada-Garcia is responsible for bringing in at least 16 metric tons of cocaine into the United Sates during the past five years. He is designated as a major violator of the United States narcotics laws and was indicted for importing nearly 3,000 kilograms of cocaine, worth approximately $47.5 million, and charged with conspiracy to import and export under Title 21 U.S.C. 963 and, aiding and abetting under Title 18 USC 2. The indictment was unsealed by Attorney General John Ashcroft in July 2003, during the final stage of “Operation Trifecta”, a multi-agency, multi-nation initiative targeting the Zambada-Garcia drug trafficking organization’s command and control infrastructure.
Zambada is controlling one of the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, smuggling wholesale quantities of cocaine and marijuana through almost every port of entry in the state of Arizona and is expanding his influence along the 2,000 mile Southwest Border. DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge, Anthony Coulson stated, “Zambada-Garcia is an extremely dangerous criminal whose narcotic trafficking activities are legendary. For more than three decades, he has skillfully aligned with almost every known drug trafficking organization in Mexico. We are asking the assistance of Arizona residents to provide any information they may have on his whereabouts so that we can bring his criminal career to an end.”
Zambada-Garcia recently emerged as one of the top drug smugglers in Mexico after a bloody battle with the Arellano-Felix Organization, the once-powerful Tijuana cartel, and has consolidated his control over the smuggling routes from the Mexican state of Sonora into Arizona.
DEA spokesperson, Ramona Sanchez stated that the DEA is trying to dramatically increase the pressure on Zambada by soliciting the public’s help in finding him. Sanchez remarked that the DEA will pursue every possible lead until he is found and brought to justice. As part of a state-wide, aggressive media campaign, the DEA has posted two billboards along Interstate 10 in southern Arizona for information leading to Zambada-Garcia’s capture. “Wanted” posters and flyers of Zambada will also be posted at ports of entry along the Southwest Border as well as in federal, state and local government buildings.
Zambada-Garcia will be featured on “America’s Most Wanted” to be aired on the Fox Channel on Saturday, February 28, 2004.
Anyone with information about Zambada-Garcia’s whereabouts is urged to call the DEA Phoenix Tip Hotline 1-866-332-7469 from the United States or Mexico. All calls are Strictly Confidential.
If you have questions or need further information, please call Public Information Officer Ramona Sanchez at (602) 664-5725
2,331 posted on
03/03/2004 1:34:14 PM PST by
Cindy
To: Cindy; StillProud2BeFree; JustPiper; FairOpinion; Oorang; TexKat; yonif; Dog; liz44040; ...
Latest from Daleel (if anyone is interested) at the Yahoo! group. FReepmail me if you would like copies of the linked files since those good old 'pages4free.biz' sites tend to max out on bandwidth quickly. Hi Daleel!!! Also, the CALL19 Yahoo! group no longer exists - Have I mentioned this before? I forget. =)
2,374 posted on
03/03/2004 6:47:38 PM PST by
LayoutGuru2
(Call me paranoid but finding '/*' inside this comment makes me suspicious)
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