US firearms head admits Mexico firearms sting mistakes

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

The head of the US firearms agency has told Congress mistakes were made in a sting operation meant to track the illegal movement of guns to Mexico.

Under Operation Fast and Furious, US officials were told to allow hundreds of guns to be smuggled into Mexico.

The aim was to track them to major weapons traffickers, but some of the guns were later found at crime scenes.

Agency head Kenneth Melson said he was "sick to his stomach" on learning the full details of the operation.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14057363

[EFerrari]

1. Arms in and drugs out, this sure is a familiar mistake, isn't it?

[Javaman]

3. And money for all...except us. nt

[Marblehead]

2. ATF

is a criminal enterprise

[razorman]

4. ATF has never been much more than a Gestapo agency.

[Lurks Often]

5. Apparently ATF isn't entirely to blame

looks like there are some more players in this one, with DOJ telling ATF to say nothing to Congress.

http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1366:atf-director-testifies-on-operation-targeting-gun-smugglers&catid=22:releasesstatements

[slackmaster]

6. I love the passive voice dodge "mistakes were made"

I remember Richard M. Nixon saying just that as the Watergate scandal blew up in his face.

[SSDA]

7. Now its exanpding to the Tampa ATF office.

This scandal is expanding to the Tampa ATF Office

____________________________________________________

Breaking News: Source claims ATF's Tampa SAC walked guns to Honduras
By David Codrea, Gun Rights Examiner
Part of 'Operation Castaway'?

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/breaking-news-source-claims-atf-s-tampa-sac-walked-guns-to-honduras?render=print#print




Exclusive Special Report by Mike Vanderboegh and David Codrea

Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tampa Field Division, ran a gun-running investigation that was walking guns to Honduras using the techniques and tactics identical to Fast and Furious, it was reported to these correspondents this evening via private correspondence from a proven credible source.

On 21 September, 2010, A. Brian Albritton, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued a press release on Operation Castaway:

United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton, Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of central and northern Florida Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) operations, and Susan McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, Tampa Field Office announce the initial results of Operation Castaway, an intensive and wideranging Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) firearms trafficking investigation conducted by ATF, ICE, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. ATF describes Operation Castaway as the most significant firearms trafficking investigation in Central Florida history.

According to court documents, a group of defendants connected to Hugh Crumpler, III, were involved in a major international gun trafficking operation. . . . Firearms like those involved in this investigation are often smuggled through Honduras and other Central and South American countries before being used in violent crimes in Mexico and other countries in the region. A number of the firearms trafficked by the defendants in Operation Castaway have been linked to violent crimes around the world.

The press release concluded, "This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Bishop Ravenel and E. Jackson Boggs. Operation Castaway remains an ongoing investigation."

SAC O’Brien was previously the Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division, was later promoted to the Deputy Assistant Director of ATF, but then stepped down to the position in Tampa. Whether the allegations of our source refer to the ongoing Operation Castaway remains at this hour unclear, but our source is certain that O'Brien has allowed the "walking" of straw-purchased firearms to Honduras using the same failed strategy as the Phoenix Field Division's Operation Fast and Furious. That Operation Castaway involved arms smuggling to Honduras is also certain.

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"This is confirmed as accurate," the correspondence continued. "There are emails in existence where O’Brien has advised those involved that Tampa does not have to report their walked guns because Tampa FD is not a part of Southwest Border or Project Gunrunner."

"From a first person source she is sh*tting herself trying to cover it up," the report stated.

No one from ATF is available at this late hour to approach for comment. This information has also reportedly been disclosed to Chairman Darrell Issa of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Ranking Senate Judiciary Committee Member Charles Grassley for follow-up and investigation.

Also see:

A Journalist’s Guide to ‘Project Gunwalker' Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four for a complete list with links of independent investigative reporting and commentary done to date by Sipsey Street Irregulars and Gun Rights Examiner.

Note to newcomers to this story: “Project Gunrunner” is the name ATF assigned to its Southwest Border Initiative to interdict gun smuggling to Mexico. “Project Gunwalker” is the name I assigned to the scandal after allegations by agents that monitored guns were allowed to fall into criminal hands on both sides of the border through a surveillance process termed “walking” surfaced.

[WatsonT]

8. Close the gunshow loophole!

Clearly that is how all these guns are getting in to mexico.

:sarcasm:

Close the incompetent ATF loophole is more likely.

[SSDA]

9. Looks like FBI, DEA, and DOJ were connected to this too.

Looks like FBI, DEA, and DOJ were connected to this too.

[WatsonT]

10. But people will still argue that we need to ban privately held guns

to prevent this from happening.

"You see citizens need to be disarmed to prevent government employees from breaking the law"

That line of reasoning makes perfect sense to them.

[SSDA]

11. Misguided people are for more gun control.

I have been a gun owner most of my life and am as pro 2nd /amend as they get. However, I support checks, training requirements, etc.

I completely respect people who don't want a firearm, thats' their choice.

But people like myself who underwent backround checks, do the NICS checks, etc etc are not the problem.

As for this fast and furious fiasco, its disgraceful. Should not be a political issue. ATF are jackboots and need to be held to account.

[bemildred]

12. Translation: "We had our heads buried in our asses."

Next up, a request for more money.

[SSDA]

13. 43 Arizona guns linked to "Fast & Furious"

43 assault weapons found at traffic stop linked to "Fast & Furious"

Damn. Obama/Holder/Melson/ATF et al have a lot of explaining to do.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mSyBqBLX0I&feature=player_embedded

[bemildred]

14. "Fast & Furious".

The name alone is all you need to know.

[SSDA]

15. Disgusting

How can anyone defend this anymore?