|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Threat Matrix HTML designed by: Ian Livingston
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
| Locked on 07/11/2005 8:20:21 PM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason: |
Posted on 06/02/2005 9:27:09 PM PDT by nwctwx
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Threat Matrix HTML designed by: Ian Livingston
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1423854/posts
"Two Dozen Suspected Gang Members Arrested; Raids Targeting Violent Hispanic Street And Prison Gangs"
Channel 9, Los Angeles ^ | 6-15-05
Posted on 06/15/2005 10:32:06 PM PDT by doug from upland
Two Dozen Suspected Gang Members Arrested
"Raids Targeting Violent Hispanic Street And Prison Gangs"
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Jun 15, 2005 4:14 pm US/Pacific SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) Federal authorities arrested two dozen men Wednesday in raids targeting violent Hispanic street and prison gangs in Orange County.
The U.S. district attorney's office also unsealed two racketeering indictments that together charge 40 people with using extortion and violence to control drug dealing in the county and in Santa Ana.
Alleged Mexican Mafia leader Peter Ojeda, 63, of La Habra was among those arrested Wednesday. He was charged in an indictment returned by a grand jury June 8 that alleges three counts including racketeering, drug trafficking and methamphetamine distribution."
Note: The following text is an exact quote:
===
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/news/newsreleases/articles/050615newark.htm
June 15, 2005
ICE ARRESTS 14 MEMBERS & ASSOCIATES OF MS-13 GANG IN NEW JERSEY ON DRUG CONSPIRACY, DOCUMENT FRAUD, AND IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS
-- Suspected leader of MS-13 clique in Elizabeth is among those arrested --
NEWARK, N.J. – Christopher J Christie, United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, and Kyle Hutchins, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Newark, today announced that 14 members and associates of the violent street gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), including the gang’s suspected local leader, have been arrested in Elizabeth and Somerset, New Jersey.
Thirteen of the gang members were arrested on criminal complaints issued in the District of New Jersey. The criminal complaints charge ten of these individuals with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, and three of these individuals with conspiracy to transfer false identification documents. The narcotics count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The false document count carries a five-year maximum prison term and a $250,000 fine.
The remaining one individual was charged with administrative immigration violations, specifically Section 212 (a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The arrests, which began at 4:00 AM this morning, involved more than 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. They were the culmination of an eight-month investigation called “Operation Spiderweb,” which was conducted by the ICE Newark Special Agent-in-Charge Office, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Plainfield Police Department.
The investigation targeted suspected criminal members and associates of the MS-13 street gang operating in Elizabeth area. The probe was significantly enhanced through the use of court-authorized wire intercepts on cellular phones utilized by members of the Elizabeth MS-13 gang
These wire intercepts helped investigators develop critical evidence against Melvin Murillo, a 27-year-old native of El Salvador suspected of being the leader of the Elizabeth MS-13 street gang, as well as several of his gang associates. ICE agents arrested Murillo this morning on a criminal charge of conspiracy to distribute narcotics. Murillo and the other criminal defendants are scheduled to have initial appearances today at 2:00 PM before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald J. Hedges.
During the arrests and searches this morning, law enforcement officers seized two handguns, a quantity of suspected cocaine, as well as fraudulent Social Security and immigration documents. One suspect was attempting to flush these documents down the toilet when agents arrived at his residence.
“Taking these individuals off the streets will make the neighborhoods of Elizabeth a safer place for everyone. ICE is especially grateful to its law enforcement partners in New Jersey for making this important operation possible,” said ICE Special Agent-in-Charge Hutchins. “Today’s case is the latest enforcement action in ICE’s national anti-gang initiative called ‘Operation Community Shield,’ which has resulted in the arrest of more than 300 MS-13 gang members nationwide since February.”
Operation Community Shield is a national ICE initiative designed to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute violent gang organizations by employing the full range of authorities and investigative tools available to ICE. Under the initiative, ICE employs its broad immigration authorities (both criminal and administrative) against gang members, as well as its customs authorities in targeting narcotics smuggling, money laundering, and in seeking the forfeiture of assets of gang members.
“MS-13 has a reputation in this country and abroad as being among the most vicious and remorseless street gangs, as they establish and protect territory and stake out their claims in various illegal ventures,” said U.S. Attorney Christie. “They are relatively new in New Jersey, and we intend to stamp them out before they flourish here. We can do that with this kind of cooperative effort between federal agents, state and local law enforcement and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.”
The individuals charged and arrested as part of today’s operation are:
Melvin Murillo, native of El Salvador, (dob 12/18/77), a resident of Elizabeth and leader of Elizabeth clique of MS-13, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy
Antonio Romero, resident of Elizabeth, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy
Wilber Larin Romero, native of El Salvador, (dob 12/13/85), resident of Elizabeth, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Didier Zuniga, native of Honduras, (dob 8/2/81), resident of Elizabeth, an alleged drug supplier charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Elmer Antonio Landaverde, native of El Salvador, (dob 6/16/81), resident of Elizabeth, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Marber Ramirez, native of El Salvador, (dob 12/17/75), resident of Elizabeth, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Jose Rodriguez, native of El Salvador, (dob 4/13/83), resident of Elizabeth, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Maykol Rangel-Munoz, native of Colombia, (dob 6/4/81), resident of Elizabeth, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Felipe Arboleda, native of Colombia, (dob 6/20/70), resident of Elizabeth, is the alleged drug supplier of Melvin Murillo and others, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Mike Jimenez, native of the United States, (dob 9/2/83), resident of Elizabeth, charged with narcotics distribution conspiracy.
Hector Martinez, native of Honduras, (dob 1/18/60), resident of Elizabeth, an alleged supplier of false identity documents charged with document fraud conspiracy.
Ronal Murillo, native of El Salvador, (dob 4/3/72), resident of Elizabeth, the older brother of Melvin Murillo charged with document fraud conspiracy.
Julio Murillo, native of El Salvador, (dob 1/9/84), resident of Elizabeth, the younger brother of Melvin Murillo charged with document fraud conspiracy.
Jose Monroy, native of Honduras, (dob 7/11/67), resident of Elizabeth, charged with administrative immigration violation.
# ICE #
Note: The following text is an exact quote:
===
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/news/newsreleases/articles/050615westpalm.htm
June 15, 2005
ICE TEAMS UP WITH LOCALS TO ARREST 3 MS-13 GANG MEMBERS
Arrests part of “Operation Community Shield”
WEST PALM – A 22-year-old citizen of Guatemala charged with aggravated battery, assault on a firefighter and shoplifting is among three members of the violent street gang “Mara Salvatrucha” (MS-13) arrested here under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE’s) anti-gang initiative “Operation Community Shield.”
Miguel Pedro Gaspar was arrested without incident at his home in Lake Worth, Florida. According to ICE’s investigative records, Gaspar was order removed by an immigration judge Jan. 31, 2005 but failed to leave the United States as ordered to do so.
“We are committed to identifying gang members like Gaspar who terrorize the communities we live in,” said Keith Perniciario, acting special agent-in-charge of ICE in Miami. “ICE will continue working around the clock to disrupt and dismantle this criminal element.”
Also arrested were brothers Efer Jonathan Roblero Aguilar, 24 and Carlos Hernan Roblero Aguilar, 21, both citizens of Mexico. The Aguilar brothers are being charged under section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) for entering the country without inspection.
All three are being held at the Krome Detention Center awaiting the outcome of their cases.
Today’s arrests are part of “Operation Community Shield,” an ICE national anti-gang initiative launched in March of this year to target members of the MS-13 gang. To date, ICE special agents, working with their federal, state and local counterparts have arrested more than 300 MS-13 members nationwide.
Operation Community Shield is designed to disrupt and dismantle violent gang organizations and prosecute their members by employing the full range of authorities and investigative tools available to ICE. Under this initiative, ICE is employing its broad immigration authorities, both criminal and administrative, against gang members
Operation Community Shield draws on strong partnerships and cooperation with existing federal, state, and local anti-gang efforts. Such partnerships are essential to the success of the initiative and to ensure officer safety during operations.
The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, the Lake Worth Police Department, the Miami-Dade Police Department, the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE detention and removal officers assisted with making today’s arrests.
# ICE #
Note: The following text is an exact quote (minus the graphics):
===
http://www.dea.gov/pubs/pressrel/pr061405.html
News Release [printer friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2005
Contact: DEA Public Affairs
(202) 307-7977
Colombian Drug and Money Laundering Ring Shattered
Black Market Peso Exchange used illegally to funnel drug money
Operation Mallorca Arrest in New York
Operation Mallorca Arrest in Puerto Rico
WASHINGTON, DC – DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy today announced the successful results of Operation Mallorca, a 27-month investigation that targeted the alleged money laundering activities of four Colombian-based money brokers who funneled drug proceeds through the Colombian Black Market Peso Exchange (BMPE). Operation Mallorca resulted in the arrests of 36 individuals in two countries. In addition, during the operation, $7.2 million, as well as 947 kilograms of cocaine, 7 kilograms of heroin, and 21,650 pounds of marijuana were seized.
“DEA is targeting the financial networks of drug cartels like never before to bankrupt traffickers and money launderers,” Administrator Tandy said. “In Operation Mallorca, we followed the money around the globe and into the hands of major Colombian drug traffickers. We’ve shown the Black Market Peso Exchange for what it is – the largest known drug money laundering mechanism in the Western Hemisphere.”
The BMPE is a system where drug traffickers sell U.S. drug proceeds to brokers for pesos. Brokers then sell the drug proceeds to Colombian importers who purchase goods in the United States and elsewhere. By purchasing the U.S. dollars on the BMPE and not through Colombia’s regulated exchange system, the importers avoid Colombian taxes and tariffs, gaining significant profit, and a competitive advantage over those who import legally.
“DEA showed today that traffickers can move their money around the world, but we will track it down,” said Tandy, who added that DEA denied drug trafficking organizations over $500 million of their profits last year alone. These seizures represent an increase of 40 percent over the previous year and severely impact the ability of drug traffickers to produce, transport, and distribute drugs into the United States. “We know that major drug traffickers have insulated themselves from their drug distribution networks, but remain closely linked to the proceeds of their trade. Operation Mallorca is a testament to our focus on the financial side of the drug business.”
Operation Mallorca Arrests in Puerto Rico
Operation Mallorca targeted alleged Colombian-based money brokers Gabriel Martinez, Farid Chain, and Edgar De Castro. Chain and other targets in the investigation were arrested in Barranquilla, Colombia. Arrests of other targets also took place in New York, Miami, Puerto Rico, and California. To date, there are 13 Colombian drug traffickers in custody who were part of this operation. Indictments were returned against four businesses in the Southern District of New York: Fabrica Colchitex in Barranquilla, Colombia; Mavex Corporation in Miami; Daybreak Corporation in Miami; and Inversiones Nolett in Miami.
Two of the 13 significant traffickers in custody, Mario Montoya and his associate Miguel Manotas, were arrested in March, 2004 by French authorities in St. Maarten, French Netherlands Antilles. Operation Mallorca identified the Montoya organization, which was allegedly responsible for trafficking multi-kilo shipments of cocaine from Colombia through the Caribbean corridor. Both Montoya and Manotas are pending extradition to the United States.
To date, the investigation has documented 68 separate transfers of drug money totaling over $12 million organized and directed by Martinez, Chain, and De Castro in San Juan, Puerto Rico; New York; and Miami. Monies were laundered through approximately 300 wire transfers to 200 bank accounts, involving 170 separate account holders, in 16 U.S. cities and 13 foreign countries. In addition, investigative efforts revealed 13 different trafficking groups in Colombia.
The first prosecutorial action occurred in June 2004, when a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico indicted money broker Carlos Medina and six of his associates, all of whom have been arrested. On April 8, 2005, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico indicted Martinez, De Castro, and 16 of their criminal associates for violations of Title 18 USC 1956 - laundering of monetary instruments; Title 21 USC 952 and 963 - conspiracy to import controlled substances; Title 18 USC 982 - criminal forfeiture; and Title 21 USC 853 – criminal forfeiture and 881 – civil forfeiture.
On April 13, 2005, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico indicted Chain and 21 of his criminal associates for violations of Title 18 USC 1956 - laundering of monetary instruments; Title 21 USC 952 and 963 - conspiracy to import controlled substances; Title 18 USC 982 - criminal forfeiture; and Title 21 USC 853 – criminal forfeiture and 881 – civil forfeiture.
On April 14, 2005, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York superceded a previous indictment dated February 10, 2005 in which Martinez, De Castro, 30 criminal associates, and four businesses were indicted for violation of Title 18 USC 1956 – laundering of monetary instruments, Title 18 USC 1960 – unlicensed money transmitting business, and Title 21 USC 959 and 960 – possession and distribution for importation.
81 defendants and four businesses were indicted in the District of Puerto Rico and the Southern District of New York.
The following offices are responsible for the success of Operation Mallorca:
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Bogota, Colombia
Cartagena, Colombia
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles (St. Maarten)
Miami, FL
New York, NY
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Special Operations Division, Money Laundering Section
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Puerto Rico
Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (DAS)
Bogota, Colombia
Cartagena, Colombia
http://www.wtop.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=531629
"Possible Police Impersonator In Germantown"
Updated: Wednesday, Jun. 15, 2005 - 6:33 AM
GERMANTOWN, Md
http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=24220
"Three Miami Shores Police Cars Burned"
POSTED: 8:35 a.m. EDT June 15, 2005
UPDATED: 2:24 p.m. EDT June 15, 2005
Story by nbc6.net
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Three Miami Shores police cars were damaged Wednesday morning after someone set them ablaze in the alley where they were parked.
Miami-Dade police are investigating the fires, which officials said started between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.
Images: Three Police Cars Burned
The cars were parked in a Miami Shores police compound on Northeast 2nd Avenue.
Investigators believe someone drove by the compound and tossed something at the cars that sparked the blaze."
Note: The following post is an exact quote:
===
===
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1423520/posts
Al-Qaeda-linked ex-general arrested in Iraq
AFP ^
Posted on 06/15/2005 12:45:27 PM PDT by jmc1969
BAGHDAD (AFP) - A former Iraqi general believed to be Jordanian extremist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's "military adviser" was arrested west of Baghdad.
Abed Dawood Suleiman and his son, former army captain Raed Abed Dawood, were picked up in a morning raid on their house in Khalidiya, west of Baghdad, a defense ministry source said Wednesday.
Zarqawi, the Al-Qaeda frontman in Iraq, is believed to have masterminded much of the country's violence, including car and suicide bombings that killed almost 700 people in May alone. He has a 25-million-dollar price on his head.
"Abed Dawood Suleiman is considered to be Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's military aide in charge of Mohammed's Army," one of the armed groups linked with Iraq's deadly insurgency, the source said.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/nation/11897712.htm
Posted on Wed, Jun. 15, 2005
"Mexican Mafia grows in Staten Island"
BY CARRIE MELAGO AND JOSE MARTINEZ
New York Daily News
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "NEW YORK - (KRT) - At the foot of the Bayonne Bridge, in the Staten Island neighborhood known as Little Mexico, crime is down - falling by more than 6 percent this year. But troubling signs remain.
Fights regularly break out in the Port Richmond neighborhood's Latino nightclubs, and even more unnerving are the graffiti scrawlings for M13, a street gang with ties to the notorious Mexican Mafia.
"We've got a lot of problems right now with the gangs," said a 28-year-old Mexican man who ran with a gang for five years before being jailed. "They're even going after the 14- and 15-year-old kids."
A federal sting operation last month in Staten Island netted 20 members of the Mexican Mafia, shining a local spotlight onto one of California's oldest and most violent prison gangs."
Massive power outage affects 70, 000 homes across 7 counties
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
More than 70,000 homes across at least seven counties were without power Wednesday night following a transmission failure at Conroe's Lewis Creek Plant.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3227719
Thanks for the post pez.
That's not good news.
Hope they get their power restored soon.
I've seen squirrels cause power outages on the old farm I used to live at.
In the last year, I read about a snake causing a power outage.
It will be interesting to see what caused this one.
ON THE NET...
http://www.ribaat.com
http://www.ribaat.org
http://www.hamasonline.com
http://hamasonline.com/suspended.page/
npz it looks like a pretty big one in a large part of texas. something almost tells me this isnt a squirrel. they can run on wires. the explanation will be interesting.
-pez
Well, maybe a bear did a high-wire act?
Maybe too many people had their air-conditioners on?
ON THE NET...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ansar_alMujahideen/
http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Government___Politics/By_Country_or_Region/Countries/Afghanistan/Taliban_Islamic_Movement_of_Afghanistan
The power plant at Willis Texas had a 3 alarm fire when it went off line causing the outage, still waiting to hear what the problem was.
THANKS eastforker.
Wonder what caused the fire?
ON THE NET...
http://www.al-ansar.tk/
"ansar_jehad"
We can follow the news updates to the power outage in Texas here:
http://news.google.com/news?q=%22power%20outage%22&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=wn
ON THE NET...
http://readcgi.s7.xrea.com/404.cgi
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
