Sunday, November 25, 2012

5 Mexicans ‘patrolling’ when border agent killed

A Mexican national who pleaded guilty in the fatal shooting of a U.S. Border Patrol agent — whose 2010 death led to a congressional probe of the botched “Fast and Furious” gunrunning operation — was part of a group of five Mexicans armed with semiautomatic assault rifles who were “patrolling” north of the U.S.-Mexico border with the intent to “intentionally and forcibly assault” U.S. border agents. The intent of the five Mexicans is outlined in a previously sealed federal indictment describing the killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry, who was gunned down Dec. 14, 2010, in the rugged desert area of Peck Canyon north of Nogales, Ariz. The indictment said the Mexicans were hunting for border agents near a desert watering hole known as Mesquite Seep just north of the Arizona-Mexico border when a firefight erupted shortly before midnight and Terry was killed. At least two of the Mexicans carried their assault rifles “at the ready position,” one of several details about the attack showing that Mexican smugglers are becoming more aggressive on the U.S. side of the border. According to the indictment, the Mexicans were “patrolling the area in single-file formation” a dozen miles northwest of the border and opened fire on four Border Patrol agents after the agents had identified themselves in Spanish as police officers. Two AK-47 assault rifles found at the scene of the killing came from the failed Fast and Furious operation. An affidavit in the case by FBI agent Scott Hunter said when the Mexicans did not drop their weapons as ordered, two agents used their shotguns to fire “less than lethal” beanbags at them. At least one of the Mexicans opened fire and, according to the affidavit, Terry, a 40-year-old former U.S. Marine, was shot in the back...more

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