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House launches probe of Mexico The Mexican government's alleged intervention in the case of U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean will be the focus of a hearing today by a House subcommittee. Ramos and Compean are serving 11- and 12-year prison sentences, respectively, after a jury convicted them last year of violating federal gun laws and covering up the shooting of a drug smuggler as he fled back to Mexico after driving across the border with more than 700 pounds of marijuana. The office of El Paso U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton gave the smuggler, Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, immunity to serve as the government's star witness and testify against the border agents. As WND reported, no criminal investigation of the agents began until after the Mexican consulate complained the agents violated Aldrete-Davila's civil rights by shooting him without warrant. The hearings were called after Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R.-Calif., ranking member on Internal Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed concern about possible foreign influence in the prosecution. The government has not disclosed all communications between the Mexican Consulate and the U.S. government concerning the Ramos-Compean case....
Suspect ID'd in Border Patrol cap shooting Authorities in Colorado say they have issued an arrest warrant for a man suspected of shooting at a 7-Eleven store because the clerk had worn a cap – while off-duty – supporting the U.S. Border Patrol. The clerk, Bruno Kirchenwitz, who alleges he then was fired over the incident related to his opposition to illegal aliens, already had left the building and was unhurt in the shooting. Another cashier who was on duty and several customers were unhurt. But authorities in Basalt, where an estimated 75 percent of the convenience store's customers are Hispanic, have named Ricardo Ramirez, 22, as a suspect on counts of first-degree assault and felony menacing for the June 26 attack. Basalt police chief Keith Ikeda confirmed the name of the suspect, and police said they are working on the assumption the gunfire was in retaliation for the Border Patrol cap the clerk wore to protest illegal immigration. Basalt police said Ramirez made a purchase at the store with his credit card, then allegedly returned with another man after a few minutes to pump five shots at the store....
Lawmakers, Bush Target Eavesdropping Law Congress and President Bush's aides worked Monday to expand the government's surveillance authority without jeopardizing citizens' rights, aides to lawmakers and the White House said. Aides to senior congressional Democrats and Republicans say they recognize the threat and are willing to pass legislation to address it before Congress adjourns for a month next weekend. The new plan, offered late last week by Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, would change the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to allow surveillance without a warrant of terror suspects who are overseas. The Bush administration believes the FISA court now must approve such spying because many conversations and contacts taking place overseas are routed through U.S.-based communication carriers, satellites or Internet providers. The proposal is narrower than what the administration sought in April: a slew of changes to the 1978 law. For example, the new plan no longer immunizes from lawsuits the telecommunication companies that participate in the National Security Agency program. Details remained undecided, chiefly over whether after-the-fact court approval would be required for emergency surveillance, according to several congressional officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks....