Mexico Army Likely Part of Border Incident (says Hudspeth County sheriff)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/27/06 | Alicia A. Caldwell - ap

[NormsRevenge]

EL PASO, Texas - Suspected drug runners dressed in Mexican military-style uniforms who were involved in an armed confrontation with Texas lawmen were using a Mexican military-issue Humvee and weapons, the Hudspeth County sheriff said Friday.

"It was military," said Arvin West, whose officers were involved in the standoff. "Due to the pending congressional hearings I can't comment further."

West said the determination that the equipment was military-issue came from the federal government, but he wouldn't elaborate. A U.S. Army spokesman said he could not confirm West's statement, and the Mexican Foreign Relations Department said it would have no comment.

The Mexican government has denied that any soldiers were involved in the standoff that occurred Monday in a remote spot along the Rio Grande in West Texas. The smugglers escaped back across the border without a shot fired, abandoning more than a half-ton of marijuana as they fled.

Mexican officials have said the uniforms and other equipment could have been stolen.

Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, and other officials have said they will seek hearings investigating such border incursions.

U.S. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, in El Paso Friday, said he could not rule out Mexican soldiers' involvement in the standoff at Neely's Crossing, about 50 miles east of El Paso.

In Mexico, kidnappers and drug smugglers regularly wear police gear, which is sold at street stands.

On Thursday, Mexico's foreign relations secretary suggested the smugglers may have been U.S. soldiers or American criminals disguised as Mexican troops.

Aguilar said he has spoken with his Mexican counterparts and was assured that an intense investigation is under way in Mexico.

A California newspaper reported this month that Mexican military units had crossed into the United States 216 times since 1996. It cited a Department of Homeland Security document, but department Secretary Michael Chertoff has said many of those incidents were just mistakes.

Also Friday, Aguilar said Border Patrol and other law enforcement are reporting that a new violent tactic is being used against them: "flaming rocks," rocks wrapped in cloth, dipped in gasoline, set on fire and thrown across the border.

Most of the incidents have happened near San Diego, and one officer has been injured, he said.

Authorities fear a deadly confrontation as attacks against Border Patrol agents increase. Last fiscal year there were 778 reported incidents, compared with 396 in 2004.

[NormsRevenge]

In this handout photo released by the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office/Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition, Unidentified men unload bundles of drugs from a SUV that became stuck in the Rio Grande at Neely's Crossing, about 50 miles east of El Paso, Texas, Monday, Jan. 23, 2006. Men in Mexican military-style uniforms crossed the Rio Grande into the United States on a marijuana-smuggling foray, leading to an armed confrontation with Texas law officers, authorities said. No shots were fired. The men retreated and escaped back across the border with much of the drugs, though they abandoned more than a half-ton of marijuana as they fled and set fire to one of their vehicles, authorities said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office/Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition, HO)

[NormsRevenge]

This photo provided by the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office shows a SUV on fire along the U.S. Mexican border Monday, Jan. 23, 2006. The SUV got stuck in the Rio Grande River, which marks the border, as it made its escape from Texas law enforcement officers. A group of men in civilian clothes began unloading packages from the SUV. They then torched the SUV, according to Rick Glancey of the Texas Border Sheriffs' Coalition. (AP Photo/Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office/Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition, HO)

[NormsRevenge]

This handout photo provided by the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office shows people on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River, Monday, Jan. 23, 2006, removing bundles of what appeared to be drugs from an SUV that got stuck in the river after a chase by U.S. law enforcement agents along the U.S./Mexico border. (AP Photo/Hudspech County Sheriff's Office/Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition,HO)

[hillary's_fat_a**]

Were I there as a US law enforcement officer, I would have fired my weapons ... shoot to kill ...

[Texas_Jarhead]

Disguised American soldiers driving Hummers with mounted 50 cals into mexico? Yes, that's the ticket.

[Capt. Tom]

In Mexico, kidnappers and drug smugglers regularly wear police gear, which is sold at street stands.

On Thursday, Mexico's foreign relations secretary suggested the smugglers may have been U.S. soldiers or American criminals disguised as Mexican troops.

No one seems to want to claim them; so I guess we will have to capture or kill these people on our soil to find out who they are. - tom

[starbase]

"It was military," said Arvin West, whose officers were involved in the standoff.

Yeaaahhhh!!! At last a super genius has come to save us. I DESPISE the fact that the Old Media picked up the term "men wearing Mexican army uniforms", and have been printing that everywhere.

Here at last someone says it like it is, it was the damn Mexcian army, as everyone on earth and on the moon must surely know. I can only hope the Old Media just isn't a closely listened to as they have been traditionally.

[GarySpFc]

Everyone knows you can buy .50 caliber machine guns at taco stands in Mexico.

[jordan8]

I am rereading Charles Askins autobiography. He was in the Border Patrol during the depression. Things sure were different in those days! They'd have lit these guys up, for sure.