Posted on 02/13/2006 12:43:40 PM PST by neverdem
An FBI sweep launched in Puerto Rico to prevent a "domestic terrorist attack" is eliciting widespread outrage on the island - and as far away as New York City - with critics accusing the agency of trying to use terrorism as a guise to turn public opinion against Puerto Rico's independence movement.
The Friday morning raid on the U.S. commonwealth, which targeted five private homes and one business, was launched to prevent attacks from the Boricua Popular Army, the FBI said. The special agent in charge of the San Juan Division of the FBI, Luis Fraticelli, said the searches were undertaken because investigations disclosed planning was under way for an attack "where explosive devices were to be used." It was to be "directed at privately owned interests in Puerto Rico, as well as the general public," he said Friday. No arrests were made.
The pro-independence group, also known as the Macheteros, or "cane cutters," engaged in violent attacks in the 1970s and 1980s, and took credit for the 1979 bombing of a U.S. Navy bus that killed two American sailors. More recently, it has taken credit for bombings of American military and government sites on the island.
While recent polls have indicated that most of Puerto Rico's residents do not support independence from America, criticism of the raid quickly spread beyond the movement's sympathizers.
From the governor of the island to lawyers to journalists, calls came out to investigate the FBI's operations on the island.
Although residents of Puerto Rico, a former Spanish colony, are American citizens, they cannot vote for president, have no voting representatives in Congress, and pay no federal taxes.
Public displeasure with the FBI was already high. The sweep comes on the heels of the death of one the group's leaders, Filiberto Ojeda Rios, during an...
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
Did they pick up the terrorists Hitlery insisted on gettting pardons from BJ Bubba during his time warming the Presidential chair. I can just see the B***h as President now. Close down Guantanamo. Send all the terrorists back. Invite Hamas for tea and crumpets to the Lincoln bedroom. Asking that tall obl for a date and and turning over our Homeland Security to algore.
Didn't Clinton PARDON these Puerto Ricans so that the Puerto Ricans would vote for Hillary?? Just like that Jewish town that voted 1500-3 FOR Hillary because Clinton Pardoned those swindling rabbis!!!
Jimmy Carter is one sick individual.
I was in the military and served with folks from puerto rico.
I don't understand why the rate of poverty there is what it is?
I don't know what the crime rate is in regards to puerto ricans?
Why are you defensive?
I didn't imply that puerto ricans aren't Americans.
As the line in the movie says: "Let it sink back in the ocean!"
We can't make it a state, because the people there refuse to assimilate. It's all well and good to cite those who served in the military, but the fact remains many don't speak English nor have any interest in learning English, and they show no interest in adopting majority American culture. They wish to remain "them" instead of becoming "us," like we expect immigrants to do (like my father did, for instance, and my maternal grandparents). Making it a state would give us the same problems Quebec gives Canada.
We can't give PR independence, because it will become a launching pad for attacks by Fidelistas, Chavez, and all the other US-hating populist dictators in Latin America.
We're stuck with the place, and there's no good answer to what to do with it. We can't get rid of it, and we can't, in fairness, keep it.
On 8/10/2001, 4 ski mask wearing, Puerto Rican, terrorists set a Navy convoy on fire on the island of Vieques and Bush did nothing.
When it comes to the ingrates in Puerto Rico, all of our pandering politicians are the same regardless of their party affiliation.
Puerto Rico was way ahead of you with this idea.
Puerto Rico had a policy of offering its convicted criminals a plane ticket to the mainland United States, in lieu of jail time, until some cops in Dade County, Florida blew the whistle on them.
Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, all of Central America, South America and Puerto Rico have been having a contest to see who can empty out their jails onto the streets of the mainland United States for decades now.
I doubt they want their criminal element or their people of color back.
Puerto Rico has driven so many of its nonwhite residents off the island that the island is 80% white now according to the Census 2000.
There are towns in Puerto Rico that don't allow black people to drink out of their water fountains or eat in their cafeterias, because they believe black people are too dirty.
How's that for hypocritical?
Can someone remind me why PR is a commonwealth of the US?
You were born a citizen, and you will die one. You didn't ask anyone's permission to become one, and you don't need anyone's permission.
You live in one of the most beautiful places on this earth. Living well and happily is its own best "revenge".
Let the veterans and their families that love the United States move back here, if they want, but how in the hell do the other 4 million freeloaders on Puerto Rico deserve $20 to $30 billion dollars a year for eternity?
The majority of the residents of Puerto Rico don't speak English, don't know anything about the United States and don't even celebrate the 4th of July.
How can any American in their right mind contemplate making a state out of an island whose residents don't celebrate the 4th of July?
You want to see fireworks in Puerto Rico? Visit on New Year's Eve, not the 4th of July.
I'll bet more residents of Puerto Rico know and care more about 'Cinco de Mayo' than our 4th of July.
The majority of the residents of Puerto Rico are AINO's, Americans In Name Only!
re: your #30 - Luv it! Raices de Acero Boricua with a Texas flag - that is one bad-assed combination! Kind of like when our great President Bush, during his 2002 SOTU when he was talkin' bout how many terrorists we'd gotten so far, squares his shoulders and sez, "they won't be botherin' us or our allies any more"... that was so "Don't Mess with Texas" that I let out a whoop!
Dios Bendiga y Guarde...
USCG retired sends
PS: Viva Puerto Rico, U S A!!!!
You need to get your facts straight, Marron.
The residents of Puerto Rico, that were born on the island, have statutory U.S. citizenship that was awarded them by an act of our U.S. Congress and it can be revoked by an act of our U.S. Congress.
"...thats a decision Congress can change anytime it wants to. It just has to do it."
Amen!
Yep, those cartoons are dangerous. Geez, just look what Scooby Doo has had to deal with, not to mention other Saturday morning animated propaganda, like Barney and Fred.
/sarcasm
The one issue has nothing to do with the other.
See my profile.
Where's Jesse Jackson?
"See profile",just did.Thanx.
Jesse Jackson won't do anything about Puerto Rico. There's no money in it and he'd have to wear fireproof underwear for the rest of his life.
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