"We're not worried because half of our recruits are retired trained combat soldiers," Mr. Gilchrist said. "And those guys are just a bunch of punks."...

Posted by: Beagle at March 28, 2005 8:00 AM

But this gang itself isn't Islamic, aye? Though, the fact it is linked with Al-Qaida is disturbing enough to hear. Not only is the migration of Mexicans and Hispanics to America a similar problem as the migration of Muslims to Europe (it can disrupts western culture and society), in both cases Al Qaeda can use these migrations to disturb western civilization even further. With relatively open borders it is very easy for terrorists or criminals to sneak into the US; and if both groups join forces this will be very lethal indeed.

Posted by: Nordthiad at March 28, 2005 8:12 AM

This Minuteman thing is something to keep a very close eye on.
The government( and the media) does not approve of people challenging their manufactured virtual reality.

Posted by: kentim at March 28, 2005 8:57 AM

Here is a little condensed info on the MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha Gang) from the DA's office in Orange County in Southern California.

Keep in mind that it was written 3 years ago.-----

Since its inception in California and Washington, DC, Mara Salvatrucha has expanded into Oregon, Alaska, Texas, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Canada, and Mexico. MS-13 is unique in that, unlike traditional U.S. street gangs, it maintains active ties with MS-13 members and factions in El Salvador. Mara Salvatrucha is truly an international gang.

Mara Salvatrucha gang members maintain contact between groups in the United States and El Salvador for several specific reasons. In El Salvador, a hand grenade sells for $1.00-$2.00 U.S. currency and an M-16 rifle will sell for approximately $200.00-$220.00 U.S. dollars. This communication and alliance provides a mechanism for MS gang members to access military-style munitions and also establishes a network to traffic illegal firearms into the United States.

Although military weapons seem to be readily available to this gang, street intelligence indicates they often have difficulty obtaining handguns, which are not readily available in El Salvador. This creates a demand for small arms by MS-13 members in the U.S. and El Salvador. This demand is so high that MS-13 members will often take handguns as payment for drug transactions. The guns are then sent back to El Salvador, or used in the United States.

MS-13 is also involved in exporting stolen U.S. cars to South America. The cars are often traded for drugs when dealing with cartels. It is estimated that 80% of the cars driven in El Salvador were stolen in the United States. Car theft is a lucrative business for MS-13.

The Mara Salvatrucha gang is involved in a variety of criminal enterprises. As with members of other gangs, MS members seem willing to commit almost any crime, but MS gang members tend to have a higher level of criminal involvement than other gang members. MS members have been involved in burglaries, auto thefts, narcotic sales, home invasion robberies, weapons smuggling, car jacking, extortion, murder, rape, witness intimidation, illegal firearm sales, car theft and aggravated assaults. In terms of drug trafficking activities, common drugs sold by MS members include cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine. Mara Salvatrucha gang members have even placed a “tax” on prostitutes and non-gang member drug dealers who are working in MS "turf." Failure to pay up will most likely result in violence.

Originally, only Salvadorians could become members of Mara Salvatrucha. However, MS now includes members from Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Mara Salvatrucha also has a few African-American members. MS has broken the race barrier for membership, but most new members are still selected because of their ethnic (Central American) background. The majority of MS gang members are between the ages of 11 and 40 years old.

Mara Salvatrucha members identify themselves with tattoos such as the number “13," or trece in Spanish. MS gang members will also use the Spanish word sureno, meaning "southerner" to identify themselves. Sometimes sureno is abbreviated to SUR. tattoos used by the Mara Salvatrucha gang, which include “M” or “MS,” in addition to the 13 or SUR identification. Another common tattoo seen is “Salvadorian Pride.” There is also a good chance that the member will also have the name of his particular clique tattooed on his/her body. Other tattoos encountered with MS members have included pentagrams and other occult symbols. These can be confusing when found in conjunction with gang tattoos and can cause misconceptions of Satanic involvement by the gang. The most common hand sign used by MS members is the letter M formed by using three fingers and pointing the hand downward. This handsign can resemble the pitchfork sign used by Folk/People Nation gangs from the Midwest, and can be made with the fingers pointing up or down. The symbols used as tattoos are also used in graffiti and personal writings.

In general, Mara Salvatrucha members show no fear of law enforcement. They are not easily intimidated and frequently act defiantly. Mara Salvaltrucha gang members have been responsible for the execution of three federal agents and numerous shootings of law enforcement officers across the country. MS gang members have been known to booby-trap their drug stash houses using antipersonnel grenades on the assumption that these structures will be searched by law enforcement. MS members at one time often bragged of assaulting law enforcement officers as a means of showing their loyalty and commitment to the gang.Officers dealing with MS members should always use extreme caution.

Posted by: Mackie at March 28, 2005 9:34 AM

Gee, let me think, total destruction from the enemy within or......I've got a few great ideas!

1) Deport all illegal aliens in a massive arrest sweep across America joined by 100's of thousands of civilian volunteers, all at once, with rewards for those that catch known felons and criminals.

2) Either mine the borders, set up check points and machine gun positions with observation posts, or come up with means to stop all illegal immigration from entering this country! If we have 480 BB dollars to wage war overseas, then spend a few BB to protect our borders damnit!

3) Penalize any government outside the US that allows illegal immigration to continue by creating an economic penalty to let them know we mean business!

4) Allow citizen created militias voluntarily, under police training and well armed, patrol the border to exterminate any jack ass gang affiliate or whatever they would like to call themselves, who fires on a US citizen or who enters this country illegally! To hell with them!

5) Mount protests (violent if needed) against the appropriate US authorities who fail to protect us in order to condemn the ridiculous US policy of welcoming the enemy and for failing to protect the rest of us.

6) Create mass protests to propose an immediate citizen mandated reform to lower all salaries of US politicians in Congress the Senate, and the Presidency, and supplement the current pay of those serving us to a merit system. Create a new incentive providing a bonus payment at the end of their terms based on their performance. In doing so it places them in an economic realm of citizenry that understands the average middle class citizen's concerns and requires them to act accordingly or face no financial reward in the end for lack of effectiveness and performance to their represented fellow citizens.

8) If we don't do something, then say a prayer, put your life in the hands of the government, buy a hangman's noose and hang yourself! By not considering the options above, you're more than likely can't be an American! This is getting ridiculous, and our common sense is not so common any more. Worry about Americans! Not them! Otherwise why have a government? It’s nuts!

Posted by: WOG at March 28, 2005 9:49 AM

The MS-13 is making a huge mistake. The Minutemen will take them out with little trouble. So, go ahead, punks, go and meet your match in Arizona.

Posted by: Prickzilla at March 28, 2005 10:18 AM

Here is another fine MS-13 member.

"Police: Gang Member Arrested Pushing Cart Full Of Guns Down Street"

"Police arrested Edwin Reyes, 23, a citizen of Honduras, in downtown Miami Tuesday. They said he is a member of MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha 13).

Reyes' arrest is part of a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement anti-gang initiative called "Operation Community Shield." Since Operation Community Shield was launched late last month, ICE agents working with their federal, state and local counterparts have arrested more than 103 MS-13 gang members, including 24 in Miami."

http://www.local10.com/news/4312440/detail.html?subid=22100404&qs=1;bp=t

Posted by: johnb at March 28, 2005 10:22 AM

You can be sure that the moment one of those illegals are shot (and most certainly it will be self defense) that our conservative Republican dominated government will shut down the Minutemen, prosecute and persecute them.

Don't forget George W. Bush is "soft" on immigration, and very good friends with Vicente Fox, who is virulently opposed to any restrictions or monitoring of immigration from Mexico (be the immigration restrictions or monitoring be legal or illegal).

Immigration takes political/economic/social pressure off the inept and corrupt Mexican government and society.

Immigration (legal and illegal) provides American employers with cheap labor, raises the bottom line and improves the stock market price.

It also provides the wealthy and Republican elite with cheap labor for house servants, gardeners, nanny's, as well as cheap factory labor, construction labor, roofers and agricultural workers especially fruit and vegetable pickers.

It is the Free Market at work, and what American can be against the "Free Market"

Of course the only true "free market" is in labor, which is the only self renewing resource on Earth, and the only resource where supply outstrips demand.

Open borders and immigration is a "conservative thing", I'm afraid.

I hope that the Minutemen are not persecuted, prosecuted and shut down though I strongly suspect that they will be.

Posted by: Giaour at March 28, 2005 11:28 AM

Read the threats yourself -

http://www.minutemanproject.com/terroristEmail.html

Posted by: Carolyn2 at March 28, 2005 12:52 PM

Sorry, Giaour. It isn't just the Republicans who support illegal immigration. I say this as a former Democratic party member, now independent due to this issue.
Democrats see this as a way to gain votes (though how they manage to make the population growth associated with illegal immigration jibe with concern for the environment still perplexes me). Example, Hillary has a bill pending right now that will allow registration and voting on election day, with NO PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED.
The Repubs want cheap labor, in my area there is plenty of it in the conservative ag industry.
Shake, stir, and you have an unholy alliance that bypasses the wants and needs of the average citizen. Heck, my parents are long term Democrats who think Bush has the mark of the devil, but they still don't agree with their party on the open borders policy!
Call the White House, and tell Bush what you think of him bad mouthing the Minuteman Project!
Treehugger

Posted by: treehugger at March 28, 2005 12:58 PM

The threat of M-13 gives the American people the perfect reason to finally do the only sensible thing: PLACE SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION LANDMINES ACROSS THE US MEXICAN BORDER stretching all the way from San Ysidro to the Rio Grande.

I personally want to extend a warm welcome to M-13: Come one!!! Come all!!! You guys want to go to your valhallas? You've come to the right place!! Why, goodness, we'll even pack your bags for you!!!

Posted by: pythagoras at March 28, 2005 1:03 PM

Yes, I afraid the only way we'll see troups on the border is after something happens that causes a 'minuteman' to fire his/her weapon and then the Government will be all over the minutemen - rounding them up for prosecution.

My vote is cast on the side of 'Lets close the border and start 'taking names and kicking butt'.

Kleo2x in Anderson, Ca.

Posted by: kleo at March 28, 2005 1:28 PM

Nice try Giaour.

Pragmatism crosses party lines. They both want the same thing, the only difference is in the details.

Posted by: kentim at March 28, 2005 4:45 PM

Must take control of the border, should have done it many years ago.
I'm all for immigrants, or guest workers, whichever or both, and certainly in favour of central americans, but we choose, we document, our country, our rules.
By the way, try getting into Mexico from Belize on their southern border, they sure take borders seriously then.
Incredible stupidity on this border issue - and neither political party willing to tackle the issue - f---ing unreal.

I think Americans are furious at the border stupidity; it may well blow up in G.B.s face, badly. What doesn't he get about this issue ?

And if it ever turns out that a terrorist has entered that way, watch out.
Apparently allowing central american thugs in with guns, that intend to rule American streets is okay. Damn, don't we have enough home grown ?
Is competition good in thugery ?

Posted by: dby at March 29, 2005 3:52 AM