Mexican Mayor Killed By Bodyguard

The drug trade fueled violence in Mexico continues.

According to news reports, six police officers in Mexico have been arrested in connection with the murder of a mayor kidnapped early this week in the ultra-violent north of the country, local authorities said Friday.

The officers, including one who acted as bodyguard to Edelmiro Cavazos, the slain mayor of the town of Santiago, were paid off by a drug gang to facilitate the crime, the regional governor and the prosecutor, Rodrigo Medina and Alejandro Garza, told reporters.

Apparently his other bodyguard was overpowered and beaten but otherwise left alive during the kidnap attempt.

Click for the Full Story of The Mexican Mayor Killed by Bodyguard & Police and Violence Rises.

Kidnapper Tries To Hire Bodyguard Firm to Help?

Still trying to get my head around this story, but apparently a man reached out to a well regarded executive protection firm and tried to enlist their aid in kidnapping a female co-worked.  Of course the firm reported it to the police and the man, a former convict was eventually arrested and charged.

Read the strange story HERE.

September 11th

The Security & Intelligence fields learned a lot from this tragic day.

Let’s not forget.

Mexico Kidnap Ring Operating in the US

“A dangerous kidnapping and murder crew operating in San Diego has been dismantled, according to the District Attorney’s office.

17 members of the alleged crew, known as Los Palillos (the Toothpicks), have been indicted after a two-year investigation. The indictment includes nine murders that the D.A. said happened in San Diego County.

“This rogue group of individuals is responsible for a string of brutal murders and kidnappings that demonstrate the ugly reality of cross-border violence,” said District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis.

Los Palillos consisted of U.S. and Mexican citizens who allegedly established themselves in Tijuana…”

Click on the link for the full story.

Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder?

The Nation.com is reporting in an article written by Jermey Scahill -

“A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. The two men claim that the company’s owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company. The former employee also alleges that Prince “views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe,” and that Prince’s companies “encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life.”

In their testimony, both men also allege that Blackwater was smuggling weapons into Iraq. One of the men alleges that Prince turned a profit by transporting “illegal” or “unlawful” weapons into the country on Prince’s private planes. They also charge that Prince and other Blackwater executives destroyed incriminating videos, emails and other documents and have intentionally deceived the US State Department and other federal agencies. The identities of the two individuals were sealed out of concerns for their safety.

These allegations, and a series of other charges, are contained in sworn affidavits, given under penalty of perjury, filed late at night on August 3 in the Eastern District of Virginia as part of a seventy-page motion by lawyers for Iraqi civilians suing Blackwater for alleged war crimes and other misconduct. Susan Burke, a private attorney working in conjunction with the Center for Constitutional Rights, is suing Blackwater in five separate civil cases filed in the Washington, DC, area. They were recently consolidated before Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia for pretrial motions. Burke filed the August 3 motion in response to Blackwater’s motion to dismiss the case. Blackwater asserts that Prince and the company are innocent of any wrongdoing and that they were professionally performing their duties on behalf of their employer, the US State Department.”

For the full story click HERE.

Powerful and potentially damaging allegations.  It will be intersting to see how this plays out.  (Thank you Kerry for bring the story to my attention.)

Americas Most Dangerous Cities

Top 5 Most Dangerous Cities:

No. 1 Detroit, Mich.

(Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Mich., metropolitan statistical area)

Population: 1,951,186

Violent Crimes per 100,000: 1,220

No. 2 Memphis, Tenn.

(Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark. metropolitan statistical area)

Population: 1,295,670

Violent Crimes per 100,000: 1,218

No. 3. Miami, Fla.

(Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla. metropolitan statistical area)

Population: 2,401,971

Violent Crimes per 100,000: 988

No. 4 Las Vegas, Nev.

(Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev., metropolitan statistical area)

Population: 1,834,533

Violent Crimes per 100,000: 887

No. 5 Stockton, Calif.

(Stockton, Calif., metropolitan statistical area)

Population: 684,406

Violent Crimes per 100,000: 885

For the full article click HERE.

Source: Forbes

Anarchists planned kidnapping of RNC delegates

A year ago, the Ramsey County sheriff’s office began looking closely at a group called the Republican National Convention Welcoming Committee.

Erik Oseland, one of the six group members arrested here, produced a video called “Video Map of the St. Paul Points of Interest.” It included such major companies as Travelers Insurance and Qwest, hotels such as the Embassy Suites and the Crowne Plaza.

Click on the exerpt for the full story.