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Terror-gang suspects rounded up in 7 cities (Linked to al Qaida)
WorldNetDaily ^ | 3/14/05 | WorldNetDaily

Posted on 03/14/2005 6:42:54 PM PST by wagglebee

WASHINGTON – Some 103 suspected members of a violent criminal street gang that has been linked to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups have been arrested in seven U.S. cities, the government announced today.

The target of the massive sting operation was Mara Salvatruchas gang – also known as MS-13 – whose members have been known to behead victims and attack with grenades and machetes.

The raids, which began in January, are part of the first nationwide crackdown on the Central America-based gang that boasts members throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. The group specializes in cross-border drug-dealing, arms-running and people smuggling operations.

Federal officials estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 MS-13 members live in 31 states – the majority of them in the country illegally.

Agents with the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement used information from state and local law enforcement authorities to target MS-13 activities in the New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Newark, Miami and Dallas metropolitan areas, according to the federal agency.

Half of the suspects charged in the sting, nicknamed "Operation Community Shield," have prior arrests or convictions for violent crimes, including murder, sodomy, assault and arson. All of them can be deported for violating immigration laws, said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Michael J. Garcia.

"Our goal is simple: Operation Community Shield aims to dismantle the MS-13 criminal gang by removing gang members from the streets and from the community," said Garcia, director of ICE.

Reputed leaders of the organization were arrested recently in Los Angeles and New Jersey. Both had previous felony convictions.

MS-13 began in El Salvador and now includes members from Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

Last month, former Homeland Security Deputy Secretary James Loy called MS-13 an emerging threat to the United States, linking the gang and the al-Qaida terrorist organization during testimony to the U.S. Congress. Garcia said today that while there is no definitive link between MS-13 and al-Qaida, the gang's operations show that "you have to accept that as a homeland security risk as well."

Officials arrested 30 alleged gang members in the New York metropolitan area, the most of any of the seven cities targeted. Twenty-five were arrested in Washington, 17 in Los Angeles, and 10 each in the Baltimore, Newark and Miami areas. The last arrest came in Dallas, officials said.

MS-13 is known to have joined forces with former members of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, a radical terrorist group, and some U.S. intelligence sources say they believe they may already be cooperating with Islamic terrorist groups – including al-Qaida.

The Mara Salvatruchas identify themselves with tattoos, such as "MS" or the numbers 13 and 18, signifying their relationship to the gang. The 13 and 18 signify the city streets in L.A. where they "hung out."

U.S. officials are concerned the gang members might help sneak al-Qaida terrorists into America.

A leader of the violent, terror-connected Latin American gang Mara Salvatruchas, Ebner Anivel Rivera-Paz, was arrested three weeks ago and is accused of murdering more than two dozen people in Honduras. He was wanted in connection with the December bus massacre of 28 people, including six children, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aliens; alqaeda; alqaida; bice; bordersecurity; bushamnesty; captured; centralamerica; communityshield; ebneranivelriverapaz; farabundomart; fmnlf; gwot; illegalaliens; jihadinamerica; marasalvatruchas; ms13; opcommunityshield; terrorism; waronterror
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To: Wolfhound777
"Oh, my God! And they only got 103????"

"Hopefully, black ops are quietly exterminating the remainder."

Fingers crossed. LOL

21 posted on 03/14/2005 8:55:07 PM PST by jackibutterfly
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To: wagglebee
Officials arrested 30 alleged gang members in the New York metropolitan area, the most of any of the seven cities targeted. Twenty-five were arrested in Washington, 17 in Los Angeles, and 10 each in the Baltimore, Newark and Miami areas.

That adds up to about 102.

But...

Federal officials estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 MS-13 members live in 31 states – the majority of them in the country illegally.

So, at the rate they are apprehending them, it will take years. HSD is too busy patting themselves on the backs for minutia than for significant apprehensions. Former subdirector Asa Hutchinson was bragging that his office was sending 300 a month back to Mexico. These are just shellgames---send a few back, make the natives think things are being done, and back to business as usual.
22 posted on 03/14/2005 9:11:06 PM PST by TomGuy (America: Best friend or worst enemy. Choose wisely.)
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To: Ernest33
"I believe this group of thugs is the same one found/being watched in East Boston. (across from Logan Airport!) I've gone on to Michelle Malkins website. She has done extensive coverage on these gangs. Got a link to that?
23 posted on 03/14/2005 9:15:44 PM PST by Fantastique
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To: wagglebee
Nope. No US border problem here. No sireee.

/sarc

24 posted on 03/14/2005 9:18:08 PM PST by kstewskis ("Tolerance is what happens when one loses their principles"....Fr. A Saenz.)
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To: wagglebee
MS-13 is known to have joined forces with former members of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, a radical terrorist group

Wasn't the American Left sympathetic to the FMNL in the '80's?

Know your enemy!

25 posted on 03/14/2005 9:27:05 PM PST by Mr. Buzzcut (metal god ... visit The Ponderosa .... www.vandelay.com)
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To: Mr. Buzzcut
The FMLN was the leftist revolutionary group that tried to take over El Salvador in the 1980s with the assistance of the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and members of the SJ.

When the Sandis lost the election in Nicaragua and six of General Arupe's minions mysteriously died in El Salvador, the FMLN decided that maybe they should compromise their dialectic and reach a negotiated settlement with the government. In last year's presidential elections in El Salvador the FMLN candidate, a former Jeb., lost by a wide margin.
26 posted on 03/14/2005 9:58:07 PM PST by InABunkerUnderSF (San Francisco - See It Before God Smites It.)
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To: TomGuy

What is worse, is that most of these will sneak back into the US because of our lax borders.


27 posted on 03/14/2005 10:17:43 PM PST by TheLion
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To: KylaStarr; Cindy; StillProud2BeFree; nw_arizona_granny; Velveeta; Dolphy; appalachian_dweller; ...

ping


28 posted on 03/15/2005 6:32:10 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Calpernia

Bookmarked, thanks.


29 posted on 03/15/2005 6:42:31 AM PST by Velveeta ("Beware the Ides of March")
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To: InABunkerUnderSF
The FMLN was the leftist revolutionary group that tried to take over El Salvador in the 1980s with the assistance of the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and members of the SJ.

Friends of Kerry, Harkin, Dodd et al.

30 posted on 03/15/2005 3:21:31 PM PST by Mr. Buzzcut (metal god ... visit The Ponderosa .... www.vandelay.com)
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To: whoever

The Ms. up there got it wrong

MS-18 and MS-13 are two different gangs.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-03-01-salvador-gangs_x.htm


31 posted on 03/28/2005 6:42:08 PM PST by leaningback
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