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.
WOW.
Well maybe the feds are starting to get it. Illegals are dangerous and a massive drain on our services.
Doubtful. Just last week they were telling us there were no sleeper cells...
Hey there.....
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.
Well bureaucrats have their definitions. A loose association of like minded terrorists is a cell to me. Frankly, they don't need a cell. One or two well financed sickos can do the job.
Is this the same group that may have had ties to the death of the Dallas mexican food restauranteur? Or am I getting confused in who's who?
I think they got a few a couple of weeks ago.
Couple of weeks ago the Indy radio station mention the arrest of a Greenfield or Greensburg Indiana man. Was unable to find anything in print or on the net to get more details....It sounded like they were throwing the book at him for unAmerican activities....Wish more information were available.
There needs to be more of this; it might not be popular, but it works.
Reputed leaders of the organization were arrested recently in Los Angeles and New Jersey. and then this:
whose members have been known to behead victims
I do believe that New Jersey was where this happened:
On Jan. 14, the bodies of Amal Garas, 37, her husband, Hossam Armanious, 47, and their daughters, Sylvia, 15, and Monica, 8, were found in their home bound and gagged, with puncture wounds to their throats.
So, do I believe their murders were on account of a robbery? NOT!
Just wish there had been something in print....Was only half paying attention at the beginning of the story, so don't even know which town he was from for certain.....Greensburg, Greencastle, Greenwood are all located close to Indy....Saw nothing on line in the Star and got nothing from the bits of information remembered to Google.
Yes you are right, more "Treason" cases should be forthcoming. If you don't like it, leave it! Don't tear it down .
BINGO!! As the Mayuh would say.. "We have a WINNAH!"
"Federal officials estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 MS-13 members live in 31 states the majority of them in the country illegally."
Let the wet ops begin.
Follow-up to my other ping on this.
Oh, my God! And they only got 103????
Helicopter-Drop-Desert-Middle East-1000 feet
"Oh, my God! And they only got 103????"
Hopefully, black ops are quietly exterminating the remainder.
Sounds good to me! :-)
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