Chuck Jennings
Member
More news about our friendly neighbor to the south!
The following story was posted at:
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/12/23/133254.shtml
Mexican Troops Fire on U.S. Border Watchers
Jon E. Dougherty, NewsMax.com
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003
An official with a civilian border group says a squad of Mexican soldiers opened fire on a position only moments after it was vacated by group volunteers patrolling private property near Douglas, Ariz.
Jack Foote, national spokesman for property protection group Ranch Rescue, told NewsMax a reconnaissance squad of his volunteers spotted two armed Mexican soldiers wearing green combat fatigues and Kevlar helmets on U.S. soil adjacent to property the group was asked to protect.
Foote said his volunteers, part of a mission Ranch Rescue dubbed "Operation Thunderbird," deployed at the landowner's request to interdict smuggling of illegal aliens and drugs on the property, reported the shootings about 5:22 p.m. Saturday. There were no injuries, and Ranch Rescue members, who are patrolling the property armed, did not return fire.
The group spokesman said the leader of the reconnaissance unit reported movement about 200 meters north of the landowner's southern boundary, a location near the U.S.-Mexico border.
"He waited until the first two soldiers moved into the clear. One was carrying an AK-47 and the other an RPK," a light machine gun version of the AK. "Both were wearing [olive drab] green fatigues and Kevlar helmets," Foote said.
Foote said the recon point man yelled in Spanish for the two soldiers to stop, but they turned around instead. Recon volunteers reported seeing the entire unit run back into Mexico. It wasn't clear how many Mexican soldiers had crossed into the U.S.
For safety, the volunteer recon unit moved to a different position, Foote said. About a minute later "the Mexicans fired on our squad's previous position." Members heard about six to eight shots fired, said Foote.
Mexican Embassy officials in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Incidents of Mexican troops crossing the international boundary into the United States are nothing new, say Border Patrol agents.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., head of the House Immigration Reform Caucus, says 115 incursions by Mexican military and police have been documented by the U.S. government since 1996.
"The purpose of these incursions is not totally understood, but U.S. officials have speculated that they are designed to help facilitate the flow of illegal drugs into America, either by creating a diversion or by providing cover for the traffickers," Tancredo says, on his caucus Web site.
Ranch Rescue has had its share of problems during operations. The landowner host for Operation Thunderbird, Casey Nethercott, was arrested Nov. 25 by federal authorities for failing to appear for a court date in Texas.
Nethercott and fellow Ranch Rescue volunteer Hank Connor were arrested by Texas authorities in March during a group operation on the property of Joe Sutton, near Hebbronville in Jim Hogg County. They were charged with allegedly detaining and beating two illegal aliens from El Salvador, allegations the group vehemently denied.
Foote said Nethercott's attorney told him Nethercott did not have to appear at the Texas hearing. The attorney said he would appear instead, but got sick and also missed the date. Foote said Nethercott's attorney filed papers with the court seeking a change in court date and explained the circumstances for missing the initial hearing, but Jim Hogg County prosecutors "pushed the issue and got a warrant issued for Casey."
Now, Arizona authorities are holding Nethercott on a "fugitive" warrant, but Nethercott is fighting the extradition to Texas. He remains in jail, Foote said, and will likely be there until February, unless bail can be arranged.
Federal officials also filed charges against Nethercott and Connor in the Hebbronville case, but eventually those were dropped.
The following story was posted at:
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/12/23/133254.shtml
Mexican Troops Fire on U.S. Border Watchers
Jon E. Dougherty, NewsMax.com
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003
An official with a civilian border group says a squad of Mexican soldiers opened fire on a position only moments after it was vacated by group volunteers patrolling private property near Douglas, Ariz.
Jack Foote, national spokesman for property protection group Ranch Rescue, told NewsMax a reconnaissance squad of his volunteers spotted two armed Mexican soldiers wearing green combat fatigues and Kevlar helmets on U.S. soil adjacent to property the group was asked to protect.
Foote said his volunteers, part of a mission Ranch Rescue dubbed "Operation Thunderbird," deployed at the landowner's request to interdict smuggling of illegal aliens and drugs on the property, reported the shootings about 5:22 p.m. Saturday. There were no injuries, and Ranch Rescue members, who are patrolling the property armed, did not return fire.
The group spokesman said the leader of the reconnaissance unit reported movement about 200 meters north of the landowner's southern boundary, a location near the U.S.-Mexico border.
"He waited until the first two soldiers moved into the clear. One was carrying an AK-47 and the other an RPK," a light machine gun version of the AK. "Both were wearing [olive drab] green fatigues and Kevlar helmets," Foote said.
Foote said the recon point man yelled in Spanish for the two soldiers to stop, but they turned around instead. Recon volunteers reported seeing the entire unit run back into Mexico. It wasn't clear how many Mexican soldiers had crossed into the U.S.
For safety, the volunteer recon unit moved to a different position, Foote said. About a minute later "the Mexicans fired on our squad's previous position." Members heard about six to eight shots fired, said Foote.
Mexican Embassy officials in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Incidents of Mexican troops crossing the international boundary into the United States are nothing new, say Border Patrol agents.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., head of the House Immigration Reform Caucus, says 115 incursions by Mexican military and police have been documented by the U.S. government since 1996.
"The purpose of these incursions is not totally understood, but U.S. officials have speculated that they are designed to help facilitate the flow of illegal drugs into America, either by creating a diversion or by providing cover for the traffickers," Tancredo says, on his caucus Web site.
Ranch Rescue has had its share of problems during operations. The landowner host for Operation Thunderbird, Casey Nethercott, was arrested Nov. 25 by federal authorities for failing to appear for a court date in Texas.
Nethercott and fellow Ranch Rescue volunteer Hank Connor were arrested by Texas authorities in March during a group operation on the property of Joe Sutton, near Hebbronville in Jim Hogg County. They were charged with allegedly detaining and beating two illegal aliens from El Salvador, allegations the group vehemently denied.
Foote said Nethercott's attorney told him Nethercott did not have to appear at the Texas hearing. The attorney said he would appear instead, but got sick and also missed the date. Foote said Nethercott's attorney filed papers with the court seeking a change in court date and explained the circumstances for missing the initial hearing, but Jim Hogg County prosecutors "pushed the issue and got a warrant issued for Casey."
Now, Arizona authorities are holding Nethercott on a "fugitive" warrant, but Nethercott is fighting the extradition to Texas. He remains in jail, Foote said, and will likely be there until February, unless bail can be arranged.
Federal officials also filed charges against Nethercott and Connor in the Hebbronville case, but eventually those were dropped.
Try again, militia boy.
