As schools become more infested with gang violence and gang members themselves, school administrators have began thinking outside of the box to combat these young delinquents from bringing their violent habits onto the campuses. While some may believe that teachers, of all people, would think it ludicrous for students to bring weapons to school, teachers across the nation have admitted to thinking that the idea is a rather smart move in case the students are put in an unfavorable situation and need to defend themselves. One student was even quoted to have stated that he would “rather be arrested [for carrying a knife] than dead.”
Other students who aren’t quite fond of carrying weapons of their own have turned to wearing stab- and bullet-proof vests into the hallways of their very own education facilities. Some researchers have found students as young as ten years old to have asked for the body armor; some wear the vests out of fear, while others wear them as badges of honor. Even students not involved in any sort of gang activities often times find themselves in skirmishes. One student explained that one day he had argued with another boy over the likes of a female student and, having two friends of his own that had been stabbed, began to wear a protective vest. He claims not be in any gangs, but he wants to feel safe because there are threats everywhere.
Not everyone who wears a vest is in danger; some wear them as fashion accessories or to look important. Students as young as ten years old have gone into the shop to buy a vest, and when he was refused one, he returned with his parents. After this incident, the owner of the shop was not surprised by anything again.
Schools had adopted a zero tolerance policy for weapons; however, this policy did not do any good. Children still continued to carry weapons to and from school, fearing that threats would be made true. When children were caught at school with weapons and expelled from school, it was allowing them to spend more time with gangs rather than away from gangs. Children as young as nine years old are being recruited into these gangs, and school officials along with students are not quite sure how to combat this, so in the meantime, numerous children are resorting to wearing vests and carrying weapons themselves in case they are attacked.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1512623/Frightened-pupil-wears-stab-proof-vest-to-school.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article5548728.ece
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Somali Gangs in Minniapolis
Many have become increasingly aware of the confrontations that the inhabitants of Somalia continue to face throughout their troublesome lives. While a boost of international aid has indeed reached the African country, the region still faces intense conflicts each day. In the early 1990s, thousands of Somalis fled the country in hopes of beginning new, simpler lives in the promising United States; nearly 32,000 people immigrated into the city of Minneapolis alone. With immigration of a hefty group into an already-established region also comes the crime and violence of the newer population, especially if the group’s presence is unwelcome.
In a 2007 report for the city, an estimated 400 to 500 Somalis were actively involved in gang violence. In only a ten month period, seven Minneapolis-area Somalis were killed, allegedly by some of their fellow countrymen. As the community began to grow progressively more concerned about the area’s gang activity level, local policemen and prosecutors have attempted, without prevail, to catch and try the local Somali gang members. Some of the gangs, like the Somali Hot Boyz and the Somali Mafia, have reportedly intimidated a number of witnesses set to testify against the gangs and have persuaded the witnesses to step down out of fear of reprisal by the gangs.
Gang experts believe some of the factors behind the increase in gang activities in the Minneapolis area can be accredited to the economic and social factors that the Somalis are facing. Whenever there is poverty coupled with a high unemployment rate, there are going to be active gangs in the area. Seeing that many of the cities all across the United States are faced with these same hardships that the Somali gangs are facing, one can see that the likelihood of an increase in gang activities in any poverty-stricken city is quite possible.
The ceasing of gang-related violence and killing is on the forefront of every law officials’ and prosecutors’ minds. Unless American wants to confront and battle a widespread epidemic of gang violence across the nation, all communities should be taking a serious look into limiting the growth of this ever-growing concern.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wires/2009/07/02/minneapolis-struggles-wit_1_ws_241296.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/20/national/main5174345.shtml
In a 2007 report for the city, an estimated 400 to 500 Somalis were actively involved in gang violence. In only a ten month period, seven Minneapolis-area Somalis were killed, allegedly by some of their fellow countrymen. As the community began to grow progressively more concerned about the area’s gang activity level, local policemen and prosecutors have attempted, without prevail, to catch and try the local Somali gang members. Some of the gangs, like the Somali Hot Boyz and the Somali Mafia, have reportedly intimidated a number of witnesses set to testify against the gangs and have persuaded the witnesses to step down out of fear of reprisal by the gangs.
Gang experts believe some of the factors behind the increase in gang activities in the Minneapolis area can be accredited to the economic and social factors that the Somalis are facing. Whenever there is poverty coupled with a high unemployment rate, there are going to be active gangs in the area. Seeing that many of the cities all across the United States are faced with these same hardships that the Somali gangs are facing, one can see that the likelihood of an increase in gang activities in any poverty-stricken city is quite possible.
The ceasing of gang-related violence and killing is on the forefront of every law officials’ and prosecutors’ minds. Unless American wants to confront and battle a widespread epidemic of gang violence across the nation, all communities should be taking a serious look into limiting the growth of this ever-growing concern.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wires/2009/07/02/minneapolis-struggles-wit_1_ws_241296.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/20/national/main5174345.shtml
Zetas Gang Leader Dies in Shootout
Ricardo Almanza Morales is a suspected drug trafficker and leader of the gang known as Zetas. He is also accused of having killed Brigade General Juan Arturo Esparza, the local police chief, and his four body guards in November. Shortly after Esparza was named police chief he and his four body guards were killed. Of the ten people who were arrested in this killing, five were police officers in Garcia.
On Friday, troops were sent to search a villa in Monterrey, Mexico. Authorities had received information that Morales was in the villa. The troops were ambushed by armed men while searching the villa. At this location, there were roughly seven gunmen killed. One soldier was wounded, but is in stable condition. There were images provided by television crews which show a garden littered with bodies and a number of handcuffed men sitting on the ground with shirts pulled over their head to hide their faces and automatic rifles close by.
Armed gunmen in at least ten vehicles ran into a military convoy on their way to the villa to help the men who were being detained and a second shootout ensued. This instance left four people dead. During the shootout, one of the gunmen’s cars burst into flames and the three people inside died. Two of the bodies had their hands tied behind their backs; it is suspected that they were drug dealers who had been kidnapped. A fourth body was found nearby; it was the body of an innocent bystander who was killed by a stray bullet.
Hours after these shootouts took place a detention center in Monterrey was attacked. Twenty-three inmates were freed and two federal police officers were killed. It is suspected that Zetas members were involved in this incident as well. Members of these drug cartels do not need a reason to take a life. They will kill anyone in their path, even a child.
This violence does not only take place in Mexico, it spills over into U.S. states such as Texas and Arizona. There is a lot of drug smuggling that takes place along the Texas-Mexico border. Police use a combination of ground, water, and air patrol to try to catch these smugglers. As law enforcement steps up their game, drug smugglers becomes more bold and more organized, making it even harder to catch them. The following video shows how smugglers operate along the border and what law enforcement is trying to do to stop this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8396941.stm
http://www.examiner.com/a-2356545~Shootouts_in_northern_Mexico_kill_13_after_raid.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/3130775/Mexico-drug-shootout-kills-13
On Friday, troops were sent to search a villa in Monterrey, Mexico. Authorities had received information that Morales was in the villa. The troops were ambushed by armed men while searching the villa. At this location, there were roughly seven gunmen killed. One soldier was wounded, but is in stable condition. There were images provided by television crews which show a garden littered with bodies and a number of handcuffed men sitting on the ground with shirts pulled over their head to hide their faces and automatic rifles close by.
Armed gunmen in at least ten vehicles ran into a military convoy on their way to the villa to help the men who were being detained and a second shootout ensued. This instance left four people dead. During the shootout, one of the gunmen’s cars burst into flames and the three people inside died. Two of the bodies had their hands tied behind their backs; it is suspected that they were drug dealers who had been kidnapped. A fourth body was found nearby; it was the body of an innocent bystander who was killed by a stray bullet.
Hours after these shootouts took place a detention center in Monterrey was attacked. Twenty-three inmates were freed and two federal police officers were killed. It is suspected that Zetas members were involved in this incident as well. Members of these drug cartels do not need a reason to take a life. They will kill anyone in their path, even a child.
This violence does not only take place in Mexico, it spills over into U.S. states such as Texas and Arizona. There is a lot of drug smuggling that takes place along the Texas-Mexico border. Police use a combination of ground, water, and air patrol to try to catch these smugglers. As law enforcement steps up their game, drug smugglers becomes more bold and more organized, making it even harder to catch them. The following video shows how smugglers operate along the border and what law enforcement is trying to do to stop this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8396941.stm
http://www.examiner.com/a-2356545~Shootouts_in_northern_Mexico_kill_13_after_raid.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/3130775/Mexico-drug-shootout-kills-13
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Chechen Rebels (Terrorists) Claim Russian Train Bombing
The recent bombing of a train in Russia left 26 dead and 100 injured. The Nevsky Express was travelling between Moscow and St. Petersburg on Friday, the heaviest travel day of the week. Government officials were among those who were killed in the blast. A bomb equivalent to seven kilograms of TNT was used to derail the train.
On Wednesday, Chechen separatist leader Doku Umarov claimed responsibility for the bombing. He said the attack was prepared and carried out on the orders of Emir of Caucasus Emirate, and warned that there would be more and this was just one incident among many that would target key infrastructures across Russia. Umarov is the leader of many separatist cells that are trying to break free from Moscow’s rule. They have pulled off several attacks on law enforcement officials.
This latest attack has brought back memories of bombings in the previous years. In 2003, there was suicide bombing of a train near Chechnya that killed 44 people. Twin bombings of passenger aircrafts took place in 2004, killing more than 80 people. Two planes flew out of Moscow on August 24, 2004. Flight 1303 was reported by witnesses to have blown up; remains of the plane were found on the ground several hours later. Thirty-four passengers and nine crew members died. Shortly after the crash of flight 1303, flight 1047 disappeared from radar screens and crashed. Thirty-eight passengers and eight crew members died. When the remains of the aircrafts were examined, traces of the explosive hexogen were found in both planes. It was later discovered that these planes were blown up by suicide bombers. In 2007, there was another bombing that derailed a train, no one died in this attack, but 27 people were injured.
Chechen rebels are trying to break free from Moscow, and are destroying anything in their way of doing so. There was an anti-terrorism rally in Russia where people were holding signs that read “Terrorists are not People” and “Find and Annihilate.” Rights activists are saying that these attacks are bitter result of brutal counterterrorism campaigns by Russian authorities. One of these groups based in Moscow accuse the Russian authorities of creating a "policy of state terror." They say that the government security services have increased the use of kidnappings, killings, and home burnings of those they suspect to be militants along with members of their family.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/11/20091128131222771215.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gn3is5E-dUPzWK3d_N1sKiCW4fpAD9CB7G380
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Russian_aircraft_bombings
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091202/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_train_derailed
Mara Salvatrucha - MS-13
The El Salvadorian civil war in the early 1980s lasted nearly twelve years, left roughly 100,000 people killed, and was responsible for more than one million people fleeing from El Salvador to the United States. Many of these refugees had ties with violent local street gangs, including the La Mara, and also with a paramilitary group referred to as Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMNL). The adjoined group, now referring to themselves as the Mara Salvatrucha gang, initially only accepted memberships from other fellow Salvadorians. Now the Mara Salvatrucha gang accepts members from Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and also a few African American members. While the gang had mainly relocated into Southern California, its members now extend into states all across the US to include Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia and Florida.
Unique to this particular gang, is the fact that they uphold their ties with the gang members who still reside in El Salvador. From this communication, the El Salvadorian gangs are able to more easily gain access to military-style weapons, including grenades and the M-16 rifle. El Salvadorians also have difficulty in obtaining smaller handguns, creating a high demand for these weapons here in the US. This demand has gotten so out of control that the gang members are now accepting handguns as payment for drug transactions. Along with providing weapons to the El Salvadorian gangs, the Mara Salvatrucha also lines the streets with stolen cars. Approximately eighty percent of the cars in the area were stolen in the United States. These cars are also taken as payment for various drug deals. These violent gang members rarely ever turn down opportunities to commit crimes. Mara Salvatrucha members admit to committing a myriad of crimes, including invasion robberies, extortion, murder, rape, witness intimidation, and drug smuggling of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. These crimes are committed on a daily basis and are the basis for which this gang is able to fully operate.
When evaluating the efforts of the local law enforcement in the Southern California region to regulate the vicious gang’s activities, one might conclude that the gang is the victor. Some law enforcement officers have even been said to be intimidated by the group, while others mention that the group completely disregards all officers as any source of legitimate power or authority. There are only two main courses of action for the Mara Salvatrucha gang members: incarceration or deportation. While both methods temporarily seem to suppress the members’ crime activities, they are exactly that – temporary. Once out of custody or once back in the States, these delinquents quickly return to their routine behavior. There is no telling when, or even if the violent crimes committed by the Mara Salvatrucha gang members will ever fully be contained.
Friday, December 4, 2009
John Phillip Walker Lindh
John Walker Lindh In US Custody
Born: February 9, 1981 (1981-02-09) (age 28)District of Columbia, USA
Charges: Conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals; Conspiracy to provide material support & resources to foreign terrorist organizations; Providing material support & resources to foreign terrorist organization; Conspiracy to contribute services to al-Qaeda; Contributing services to al-Qaeda; Conspiracy to supply services to the Taliban; Supplying services to the taliban; Using and carrying firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence
Penalty: 20 years imprisonment
Status: imprisoned in FCI, Terre Haute in Terre Haute, Indiana
Patriotism among Americans has been especially prevalent since the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center in New York back in 2001. With this newly found love for one’s country comes much curiosity and perplexity concerning Islam and the ideology behind the many facets of terrorism. John Phillip Walker Lindh was among these curious Americans, though his interest in Islam - the heavily-populated religion throughout the Middle East - began years before 2001.
Lindh grew so intrigued by the religion that he officially converted to Islam in 1997 and later traveled to Yemen and Pakistan to further his Arabic studies. These innocent studies of a then-mysterious world ceased when Suleyman al-Faris, aka Abdul Hamid – Lindh’s preferred names after his conversion – began training in Mujahideen terrorist training camps and aiding the terrorist group al Qaeda.
In November 2001, the CIA employed some of the agency’s most talented members to Afghanistan to aid the recapturing of various Afghani cities with the help of the country’s own Northern Alliance. While many of the terrorist fighters refused to surrender, a massive group numbering as high as 300 was disarmed and trucked to Mazar-e Sharif after a withdrawal was negotiated with General Dostum of the Northern Alliance.
In early December, shortly after the Taliban fighters were transported into the makeshift prison, a violent uprising ensued. The seven day conflict ended with only 86 survivors out of the original approximated 300 Taliban fighters, and resulted in the first American combat death of the Afghan War. Johnny “Mike” Spann, a CIA operative responsible for interrogating the prisoners, was brutally killed, but only after first emptying his AK-47 and pistol on the prisoners, followed by a hand-to-hand battle with a number of Taliban fighters, whom he could no longer fend off.
In February 2002, John Walker Lindh was indicted by a federal grand jury on ten charges, including engaging in a conspiracy to kill nationals of the United States and unlawfully, willfully, and knowingly providing material support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations, namely the Mujahideen and al Qaeda. Lindh would later plead guilty only to serving in the Taliban army and carrying weapons, for which he now serving twenty years in prison without parole. Lindh’s family has since petitioned for a Presidential commutation to lower his sentence; fortunate to say, our then - President George W. Bush denied Lindh’s clemency in one of his final acts in office.
The Taliban uprising, deemed the Battle of Qala-i Janghi, was one of the bloodiest conflicts that had occurred during the Afghan war thus far. With the help of America’s own John Walker Lindh, the Taliban forces were able to methodically plan and initiate a coordinated attack against the American and Northern Alliance forces that left many of the men either dead or wounded. Of the friendly forces who survived, they will be forever haunted with the disturbing images of battle and are left to find ways to erase these incessant reflections of war from their minds. We can no longer ignore the conflicts that are arising outside of the United States; terrorism is mounting both in countries abroad and here at home.
http://www.justice.gov/ag/criminalcomplaint1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Walker_Lindh
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/walker/profile.html
Born: February 9, 1981 (1981-02-09) (age 28)District of Columbia, USA
Charges: Conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals; Conspiracy to provide material support & resources to foreign terrorist organizations; Providing material support & resources to foreign terrorist organization; Conspiracy to contribute services to al-Qaeda; Contributing services to al-Qaeda; Conspiracy to supply services to the Taliban; Supplying services to the taliban; Using and carrying firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence
Penalty: 20 years imprisonment
Status: imprisoned in FCI, Terre Haute in Terre Haute, Indiana
Patriotism among Americans has been especially prevalent since the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center in New York back in 2001. With this newly found love for one’s country comes much curiosity and perplexity concerning Islam and the ideology behind the many facets of terrorism. John Phillip Walker Lindh was among these curious Americans, though his interest in Islam - the heavily-populated religion throughout the Middle East - began years before 2001.
Lindh grew so intrigued by the religion that he officially converted to Islam in 1997 and later traveled to Yemen and Pakistan to further his Arabic studies. These innocent studies of a then-mysterious world ceased when Suleyman al-Faris, aka Abdul Hamid – Lindh’s preferred names after his conversion – began training in Mujahideen terrorist training camps and aiding the terrorist group al Qaeda.
In November 2001, the CIA employed some of the agency’s most talented members to Afghanistan to aid the recapturing of various Afghani cities with the help of the country’s own Northern Alliance. While many of the terrorist fighters refused to surrender, a massive group numbering as high as 300 was disarmed and trucked to Mazar-e Sharif after a withdrawal was negotiated with General Dostum of the Northern Alliance.
In early December, shortly after the Taliban fighters were transported into the makeshift prison, a violent uprising ensued. The seven day conflict ended with only 86 survivors out of the original approximated 300 Taliban fighters, and resulted in the first American combat death of the Afghan War. Johnny “Mike” Spann, a CIA operative responsible for interrogating the prisoners, was brutally killed, but only after first emptying his AK-47 and pistol on the prisoners, followed by a hand-to-hand battle with a number of Taliban fighters, whom he could no longer fend off.
In February 2002, John Walker Lindh was indicted by a federal grand jury on ten charges, including engaging in a conspiracy to kill nationals of the United States and unlawfully, willfully, and knowingly providing material support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations, namely the Mujahideen and al Qaeda. Lindh would later plead guilty only to serving in the Taliban army and carrying weapons, for which he now serving twenty years in prison without parole. Lindh’s family has since petitioned for a Presidential commutation to lower his sentence; fortunate to say, our then - President George W. Bush denied Lindh’s clemency in one of his final acts in office.
The Taliban uprising, deemed the Battle of Qala-i Janghi, was one of the bloodiest conflicts that had occurred during the Afghan war thus far. With the help of America’s own John Walker Lindh, the Taliban forces were able to methodically plan and initiate a coordinated attack against the American and Northern Alliance forces that left many of the men either dead or wounded. Of the friendly forces who survived, they will be forever haunted with the disturbing images of battle and are left to find ways to erase these incessant reflections of war from their minds. We can no longer ignore the conflicts that are arising outside of the United States; terrorism is mounting both in countries abroad and here at home.
http://www.justice.gov/ag/criminalcomplaint1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Walker_Lindh
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/walker/profile.html
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