Attempt To Kill DEA Agent

[darkglobe]

From http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ News Release page:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2007
Contact: Garrison Courtney
Number: 202-307-2402

Ecuadorian National Charged With Attempting To Kill A DEA Agent
Extradited To The U.S. From Colombia

APR 6 -- (WASHINGTON D.C.) - An Ecuadoran national charged with the attempted murder of a DEA agent has been extradited from Colombia to the United States, the Department of Justice announced today.

Jairo Motta-Vargas arrived in Miami from Colombia on April 4, and was transported to Washington, D.C. yesterday. He is scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge at U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. today at 1:45 p.m.
Jairo Motta-Vargas has been named in a two-count indictment previously returned in the District of Columbia on June 20, 2000. Motta-Vargas was charged with the attempted murder of a DEA agent, and with unlawfully impeding, with the use of a deadly weapon, a DEA agent in the performance of his duties.
“The arrival of Jairo Motta-Vargas in the United States demonstrates our resolve to bring to justice those who attempt to kill or hurt American citizens, particularly our front-line law enforcement agents,” said Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. “I again thank the Colombian government for their assistance in extraditing Motta-Vargas and for their continuing partnership in the war against drugs.”
“DEA’s courageous men and women put their lives on the line every day for the safety of our nation. We take attempts or threats on their lives seriously, and we relentlessly pursue their attackers as long as it takes to see justice done,” said DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy. “Our agents are especially vulnerable and brave because they willingly put themselves in the drug underworld, where profits and power are more valued than human life. We are grateful that our agent walked away from this attack unharmed, and that his attacker, Jairo Motta-Vargas, will now answer to an American judge and jury.”
Motta-Vargas was allegedly a member of a Quito-based international drug trafficking organization. In 1999, law enforcement authorities in London, England seized 20 kilograms of heroin belonging to Motta-Vargas’ drug trafficking organization, according to the indictment. On July 12, 1999, in Quito, Ecuador, Motta-Vargas, believing that a DEA Special Agent was responsible for the seizure, fired at least three shots from a Beretta 9mm semi-automatic pistol at point-blank range at the DEA agent while the agent was seated in a motor vehicle. Motta-Vargas was arrested several days later by Ecuadoran police and was ultimately sentenced to six years in prison.
After his release from prison, Motta-Vargas was returned to Colombia, where the United States filed a provisional arrest request and a request for extradition. On March 23, 2007, the government of Colombia granted the extradition request on the charge of attempted murder of a DEA agent, but denied extradition on the charge of impeding a DEA agent in the performance of his duties. Motta-Vargas will only be tried on the attempted murder charge, and if convicted, faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
An indictment contains only allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The investigation in this case was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and is being prosecuted in the District of Columbia by Robert Feitel and Carmen Colon of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice. The extradition was handled by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and NDDS.

While not strictly drug news, I found this interestin.


...Am I allowed to say "better luck next time"?

[Trebor]

Who do South American countrys give people up? I know if I was in charge of a country I'd offer asylum to to those who were wanted by the U.S. unless they were corporate crooks.

Also, why do European countrys surrender people? Or Pakistan and all those other places?

[Nagognog2]

Because the USA protects their dictators who force their people to work for American corporations for pennies a day under threat of torture and death. Many European nations fall in line for fear of economic sanctions. Just as bad for a politician's career as a bullet to the head.

[darkglobe]

^ An example: Dubya helped his lovely little 2003 election campaign (well it was 2000 and something anyway) along with t-shirts....

...Made in a sweatshop in Burma. Then post-election he banned all imports from Burma. What a nice, respectable president for you Americans!

Yeah, ok, that was sorta a little bit off topic... but yeah...

It's odd how America's hypocrisy goes unnoticed by the majority. Then again I'm not American.... what do I care, I hear you ask? Coz it's gonna f*** the whole planet up soon, if left...."unsolved".

But seriously, the DEA website... what a load of trash. That's where I gleaned that lil' gem from, mind, so it's not that bad.

[Trebor]

With regards to the economic sanctions America may impose on Europe, Nag. Europe has a much stronger economy then America so I can't believe that. And besides, what are they going to stop sending us? McDonalds? Chrysleers? Chevrolets? Microsoft?

[Nagognog2]

Actually the EU has risen above being dependent on the USA. But if you take a look at the political events in Holland leading up to their last election, you may see something more frightening.

Two key figures in the Dutch left-of-center political scene were mysteriously murdered. Security cameras that would have filmed the killings and the get-a-way by the killer/s had conveniently been turned off at the time of the killings. This, and other details, left a clear trail to the workings of an intelligence service. This may have been the siren-call to show that the USA will see to it that the EU falls in line - or be subject to treatment the USA is infamous for using in lesser-developed nations - like Chile in 1973.

[Alfa]

Note that Pim Fortuyn had announced to ditch the joint strike fighter. It is unknown if this is related, but it is a multi-billion dollar stake.
In his case it was the security gates which had a mysterious malfunction for 15 minutes, causing the ambulance to be stalled until the would be president had passed away.

[Trebor]

Hmm. Here's another question.
Why has no one tried to try the U.S. Government?
Hiroshima 1945.
America drops an atomic bomb. Knowing damn well that 140,000 civillians would be killed.

Vietnam: Over 500,000 civillians

The list could continue.

[El Calico Loco]

Originally Posted by Trebor

Hmm. Here's another question.
Why has no one tried to try the U.S. Government?
Hiroshima 1945.
America drops an atomic bomb. Knowing damn well that 140,000 civillians would be killed.

Vietnam: Over 500,000 civillians

The list could continue.

I don't think one can try a government, because governments don't act - individuals do. It's no different for blaming "drug users" for the problems caused by hopelessly addicted individuals who turn to crime.

I do think one could make a good case against Harry Truman for giving the go-ahead for dropping the A-bomb. One could also make a case against whoever authorized the firebombing of Tokyo, which killed more people than both atomic bombs. Or whoever ordered the bombing of Dresden, a city with no military targets. Or the generals and soldiers who killed 800000 Filipinos and nearly every Native American in the century before. As you said, the list goes on.

However, I don't think it makes sense to blame "the government" in some collective sense. If that were the case, nearly every government that exists today would deserve the death penalty.

Which, I suppose, is the primary argument of anarchists.


ECL
(The anarchists make a fine point...I just don't think anarchy is a stable equilibrium.)

[darkglobe]

...or Nicaragua.... vietnam.... iran.... hell, even Iraq wasn't as bad as made out...

From George, to George!

THE US GOVERNMENT EASY-TO-FOLLOW WORLD DOMINATION PLAN IN THREE EASY STEPS!

Follow this easy how-to if you wanna demolish country infrastructures like a pro:

1. Remove the people-friendly leader: This step is essential in lowering population avergae morale, and if done correctly (silently), leaves a large window of opportunity to follow up assassination with "aid".
2. Replce said leader with racist, pink-eyed albino/fascist of your choice: This step clinches the deal and makes sure that your country (yes, it will be yours soon, "just like daddy taught you") is as poor and unsettled as it can be.
3. Invade. US-Style: Make sure you go in all-guns-blazing (this way they get scared and insurgent [sp?] groups spring up). Take out each and every living icon or community-pillar. Replace with shrapnel. That reminds me, it is imperative ("imperi...whaa?") to take out a large number of innocent civilians (triple points for kids, double for invalids!) for good measure.
4. Leave 'em stew: Pull out (daddy did it so it worked).
5. Go back for the oil/diamonds/women: Return and gather the sweet, sweet fruits of your (troops') labour.

The end. Good luck, boy!

Lol. Something I chucked together seeing as this was going off-topic already

[El Calico Loco]

It's not just the US, and it's not just the government.

Nor is it the Illuminati, or "the Jews", or a worldwide Satanic conspiracy. It's just a group of elitist aristocrat wannabes who wish to create a world government based on an ugly hybrid of state socialism and good old-fashioned English mercantilism. It's what happens when Fabians get together with the captains of industry for tea. Some participate because they want to end crime and poverty and war (by creating a worldwide police state), others because they know they'll wind up on top and own...everything.

They have a lot of influence in the US, Western Europe, and the emerging markets of the former Eastern block. They own most of the third world outright. I suspect they have much less influence in Russia and Asia...so it will be interesting to see how this Iran scenario plays out. I don't think the communists-turned-fascists will sit still while a mercantilist empire builds a ring of bases around their nations and siphons off the oil they want for their growing economies.


ECL

[darawk]

I realize this statement will probably generate a lot of controversy, but I have no problem with people killing DEA agents. I think they all deserve death. Fuck the idea that we should tolerate ignorance and stupidity, I don't think a single one of them is worth the air they breathe.

It sounds extreme, but what war has caused more casualties than the drug war? Caused more people more pain? Violated more human rights and destroyed more lives? None. The Holocaust is a pebble next to the Mt. Everest of evil that is the "war on drugs" - and ignorance does not absolve anyone from their responsibility.

I don't care if these idiots have been indoctrinated by the anti-drug propaganda, been brain-washed by DARE, or been convinced that they are moral crusasders in some sort of holy war against evil. If you're going to go off killing people and tearing apart families, you'd better be damn sure you're justified in doing so. In the case of a DEA agent "doing his/her job", either they disregard morality, have ignored reality, or don't care enough to find out. Whichever way it is, they're all worthless pieces of shit in my mind.

Reputation Comments on this post:

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	well-argued

[El Calico Loco]

Originally Posted by darawk

I realize this statement will probably generate a lot of controversy, but I have no problem with people killing DEA agents. I think they all deserve death. Fuck the idea that we should tolerate ignorance and stupidity, I don't think a single one of them is worth the air they breathe.

I don't go quite that far - I'd rather see individuals educated and made better than eliminated - but I understand the sentiment. I don't think any drug user is ethically obligated to go peacefully when attacked by agents of the state. What the government is doing is Wrong, and any victim would be acting in self-defense.

Of course, I wouldn't bet much on such an individual's long-term survival. The US government is the biggest gang around.

Swim tells me he would go peacefully. If it comes to that, he wants his day in court.


ECL

[darkglobe]

Chile, also.

Nobody has tried them as nobody could confront a global powerhouse such as the US government. Their list of disposable assets is humungous, and their list of lawyers/bailiffs/thugs/allies/general baddies is enough to scare anyone.

[Peace Frog]

“Our agents are especially vulnerable and brave because they willingly put themselves in the drug underworld, where profits and power are more valued than human life."

This line made me flip off my own screen. I can sum up that entire line in ONE little phrase! It's what they would say to us if we were to accuse them of being an organization that values money and power over human life.

"I know YOU are, but WHAT AM I?!"

Childish bullshit.

[Nacumen]

Perhaps one day the DEA agents will be tried for war crimes? The Nazis who claimed to be 'just following orders' were sentenced to death or life imprisonment. Why should the DEA agents be treated any differently?

Both believe(d) they were doing the right thing, and both ruined countless lives in the process through military force.