Napolitano Using ‘Jedi Mind Tricks’ on Border Security, Arizona Sheriff Says

Napolitano Using ‘Jedi Mind Tricks’ on Border Security, Arizona Sheriff Says

(CNSNews.com) – Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu fired back on Monday after officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement Friday claiming that an e-mail memo from the agency in May warning Arizona law enforcement that credible intelligence pointed to violent confrontations between drug smugglers and thieves seeking to hijack their goods was “inaccurate.”

“[Homeland Security] Secretary [Janet] Napolitano continues her Jedi mind tricks trying to convince us through argument that the border’s now more secure than ever,” Babeu told CNSNews.com. “And that’s simply false.”

Babeu, whose county is in south central Arizona, said that much of the scenario the May 13 memo predicted is accurate, including drug cartel scouts stationed at lookout points to shepherd drug and human trafficking operations through the Vekol Valley, which runs through Pinal County some 70 miles north of the U.S. border with Mexico.

“And for this [DHS] memo, which was never retracted, has actually proven to be very true in all its elements,” Babeu said. “We know for a fact that there are the LPOPs (Listening Posts, Observation Posts) in America – in my county.”

“I’m saying as the commander in the field, as the sheriff of this county, that it’s absolutely true, and I didn’t need a memo to tell me so,” Babeu said.

“This is outrageous that these people would lie to the American people,” Babeu said in reference to the DHS statement released on Friday.

That statement was issued by Matt Chandler, a spokesman with the DHS, after the May 13, 2010 e-mail memo was circulated to media outlets last week, and questions were directed to the department by the press. (See Related Story)

“It appears what media are quoting from was an email between law enforcement personnel last May,” the statement said. “DHS regularly shares information with state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in an effort to provide situational awareness about intelligence and to keep our partners aware of any and all potential threats.

“This particular information proved to be inaccurate,” the statement continued. “At this time, DHS does not have any specific, credible information on intra-cartel violence taking place in Arizona.”

The statement concluded by crediting the Obama administration with success in making the U.S. border with Mexico more secure.

“Over the past twenty months, this Administration has dedicated unprecedented manpower, technology and infrastructure to the Southwest border,” said the DHS. “In addition to remaining in close contact with law enforcement on the ground, over the past several months, we have added personnel and assets to Arizona to assist other federal, state, and local partners to keep our communities safe.”

Congress passed a $600 million border security bill in August and about 500 National Guard personnel were subsequently deployed to Arizona – a far cry from the 3,000 troops requested by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) in the 10-point border security plan they announced in April weeks before the DHS e-mail was sent.

The McCain/Kyl plan also calls for completion of the 700 miles of fencing along the border with Mexico and the construction of double- and triple-layer fencing at appropriate locations along the Arizona-Mexico border.

Babeu said until the border is “completely sealed” to halt all drug and human trafficking, the administration’s policies will not be effective.

“Until that happens, all of this is just window dressing that they are doing,” Babeu said. “It’s expensive window dressing.”

Babeu issued his own statement on Friday and sent it to Chandler, who did not respond, according to Babeu.

“The Department of Homeland Security continues to mislead the American people on this issue,” Babeu said in the statement, which his office released to the media last week.

“It is very troubling that their email refers to intelligence information gathered about Deputy Puroll's shooting which was confirmed and also four weeks later we had two illegal immigrants murdered in this same area described in the email where they said it would take place,” Babeu’s statement said, referencing the shooting of a Pinal County deputy, Larry Puroll, just weeks before the DHS e-mail memo was issued.

“One of the illegal immigrants was armed with an assault rifle,” the statement continued. “Now during the past several weeks ‘spotters’ have been located in several different caves, which is also referenced in the [DHS] email."

DHS did not respond to a second set of questions from CNSNews.com about the statement the department released on Friday.

The May 13 e-mail from DHS to Arizona law enforcement reads, in part: “We just received information from a proven credible confidential source who reported that last weekend, a meeting was held in Puerto Penasco in which every smuggling organization who utilized the Vekol Valley was told to attend. This included rival groups within the Guzman cartel.

“It was decided that the cartel would send a group of fifteen, very well equipped and armed sicarios complete with bullet proof vests, into the Vekol Valley” the e-mail continues. “The Cartel has a map of where the most bandit activity has been occurring. The group will walk into the valley taking four days to get into LPOP positions and communicate back to Penasco. Penasco will then send groups of simulated backpackers carrying empty boxes covered with burlap into the Vekol Valley to draw out the bandits. Once the bandits have been identified, the sicarios will take out the bandits.”

“Incidentally” the e-mail continues,” the night of the Vekol Valley shooting, we received information from a source who reported that the scouts in the valley (the Cartel has 23 scout locations with rolling encryption) were reporting that bandits had shot two sheriff’s deputies and the area was covered with cops.”

Source - http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/napolitano-using-jedi-mind-tricks-border