Wire could have decapitated Border Patrol agents

**Willowdared** · 02-14-08, 03:48 PM

Border Patrol finds decapitation wire where ATVs patrol

By Greg Gross
UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM
11:03 a.m. February 14, 2008
SAN DIEGO – The Border Patrol says assaults against its agents in San Diego County have taken a dramatic upturn since last fall, including one attempt to set a booby trap that could decapitate agents riding all-terrain vehicles.

Agents last Saturday night found a thick wire stretched across a dirt road they use to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border, attached at one end to a secondary border fence and running through a hole in the main fence several yards away.

When pulled taut, the wire stretched about four feet over the ground – roughly at the level of an agent's neck.
It's part of a sizable spike in the number of assaults on their officers in the area – 176 since last October, compared with 254 for the entire previous fiscal year.

The bulk of these assaults are taking place in one area, just east of the San Ysidro border crossing on Otay Mesa, Endicott said. That's where the trap was found.

The area where the bulk of the assaults are taking place faces a Tijuana neighborhood on the other side of the border known as Colonia Libertad. the hills in that neighborhood closest to the border have long been a haven for street gangs and drug traffickers.

“That area is pretty much controlled by the criminal element,” Endicott said.

**MonsterMash** · 02-14-08, 04:31 PM

See...that shouldn''t be happening. The BP should be augmented by the National Guard and anytime they see someone hopping the fence...shoot their illegal asses. It just pisses me off that OUR officers and people continue to suffer while our govt does jack shit to stop it.

**Just KC** · 02-14-08, 05:25 PM

Wow...i am glad they found that wire before someone got hurt.

**Willowdared** · 02-14-08, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by MonsterMash

See...that shouldn''t be happening. The BP should be augmented by the National Guard and anytime they see someone hopping the fence...shoot their illegal asses. It just pisses me off that OUR officers and people continue to suffer while our govt does jack shit to stop it.

They do have National Guard in some of those areas. We have some unique challenges with terrain and remoteness here.

**TXCharlie** · 02-14-08, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by PDawg

They do have National Guard in some of those areas. We have some unique challenges with terrain and remoteness here.

Last I heard, the National Guard was walking around with UNLOADED firearms. An unloaded firearm can be a very dangerous thing to someone trained to keep it loaded. I'm surprised we haven't heard of some dead NG because they got into a situation, neglecting to remember that they're the only people in South Texas that carry non-working firearms.

I'm sure that's the tip of the iceberg in terms of PC folly.

**MonsterMash** · 02-15-08, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by PDawg

We have some unique challenges with terrain and remoteness here.

One word: SNIPERS

Can cover a lot of area with little manpower. You put a 2 man team on the high ground with a Barrett M82. You're looking at 360 degree fields of fire out to 2000 meters and beyond. You let Pedro look to his left and see his buddy Jose turned into POT ROAST in a millisecond........bet you won't have to worry about him trying to cross the border again.

**armsmaster270** · 02-15-08, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by MonsterMash

One word: SNIPERS

Can cover a lot of area with little manpower. You put a 2 man team on the high ground with a Barrett M82. You're looking at 360 degree fields of fire out to 2000 meters and beyond. You let Pedro look to his left and see his buddy Jose turned into POT ROAST in a millisecond........bet you won't have to worry about him trying to cross the border again.

I have the same feelings. Fuck with the bull and you get the horn.

**jmur5074** · 02-15-08, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

Last I heard, the National Guard was walking around with UNLOADED firearms. An unloaded firearm can be a very dangerous thing to someone trained to keep it loaded. I'm surprised we haven't heard of some dead NG because they got into a situation, neglecting to remember that they're the only people in South Texas that carry non-working firearms.

I'm sure that's the tip of the iceberg in terms of PC folly.

A little off topic, but I've seen that before. I'm not a member of the NG, and basically know nothing about them, but is that common??

We had them here last summer for some massive flooding and every one of them was walking around with pistols and rifles that were unloaded.

**lewisipso** · 02-15-08, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by MonsterMash

while our govt does jack shit to stop it.

Keep paying attention. It's gonna get even worse. It's hard to kick someone out of bed you're trying to get in bed with.

**MacLean** · 02-15-08, 02:35 PM

Two man teams, set up for typical sniper missions.

Long range observation and intercept teams.

I'm not in to shooting border runners, but I have no problem at all shooting coyotes or people setting up traps - both are crimes of violence.

**armsmaster270** · 02-15-08, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by maclean

Two man teams, set up for typical sniper missions.

Long range observation and intercept teams.

I'm not in to shooting border runners, but I have no problem at all shooting coyotes or people setting up traps - both are crimes of violence.

I can live with that..

On the National Guard My Unit was deployed to the Rodney King Riots fully armed, but no ammo when the unit arrived Long beach P.D. said "we got a place for you." They provided 12GA, 223. and 45auto for the troops till the "Federal ammo" was flown in by chopper from Camp Roberts the next day. All the time Seal Beach just a few miles away had anything we needed from 22L.R. to 16" naval gun ammo but that was off limits

Now Guard Armories keep "Contingency ammo" in their vaults in sealed containers. During the Olympics in L.A. we worked side by side with LAPD at their rooftop heliport Piper Technical Center which was the H.Q. for all agencies that had a Olympic venue. All our weapons were loaded.

**10-42Adam** · 02-15-08, 04:01 PM

This situation is out of control and has been for quite a while. It sickens me that this country doesn't seem to have to guts to take drastic measures to put an end to this ongoing problem. Honestly, what is it going to take? Mass numbers of injuries or deaths to our Border Patrol agents or National Guard members?

If I was in charge, I'd send a clear and defined message; DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER OUR COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. The first person who does would be made an example of with a clear shot to the head. If they want to fuck with our dedicated men and women protecting the border, I'll show them they fucked up royally. God Bless the U.S.A.

**Illiy** · 02-20-08, 10:36 PM

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. border officers found a wire between two
fences along the U.S.-Mexican border that, when stretched taut, could
have seriously harmed or even decapitated Border Patrol agents,
Congress was told Wednesday.

The wire was about 4 feet high when pulled tight, or about neck level
for an agent on an ATV, officials say.

"It was configured in a way so that, if it was pulled, it would take
off the head of a Border Patrol agent riding in an open car,"
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said at a House budget
hearing.

The wire was discovered Saturday when authorities monitoring a
surveillance camera saw two people on the north side of the border
east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, in the San Diego sector.

Border Patrol agents sent to the area found a thick metal wire tied
to a secondary fence.

The wire stretched across the border road and led into Mexico through
a hole in the primary fence, according to U.S. Customs and Border
Protection.

When pulled tight, the wire would be about 4 feet high -- about neck
level for an agent riding on an all-terrain vehicle, CBP said.

Officials said they suspected that drug or illegal immigrant
smugglers were involved.

No arrests were made on either side of the border. The wire was
removed, and no injuries or damage took place, CBP

**Twan007** · 02-20-08, 10:58 PM

open season...

**Willowdared** · 02-20-08, 11:23 PM

http://www.lawenforcementforums.com/...ad.php?t=25464

**CT209** · 02-21-08, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by jmur5074

A little off topic, but I've seen that before. I'm not a member of the NG, and basically know nothing about them, but is that common??

We had them here last summer for some massive flooding and every one of them was walking around with pistols and rifles that were unloaded.

Well, I hope it changed around here, but when I was in the NG, we got called out twice for possible deployment in civil protests. They issued us riot batons. We asked about rifles. The reply was that because of what happened at Kent State (keep in mind that incident occurred more than 15 years before the incidents I'm referring to), they (the state authorities) would not issue the NG guns and ammo.

[direct quote here]- "The Guard will not be issued rifles and ammunition until one of them is laying dead in the street [from a gunshot wound]."

It gave all of us Guardsmen a extremely warm feeling.