Mexican Federal Police ambush of CIA agents in 2012 was no accident, press source alleges

Controversy lingers over what really happened at the village of Three Marys

Guadalajara -
Mexico City's investigative newspaper La Jornada reported yesterday that despite the conflicting claims of PRI administration officials, a bizarre attack by 14 Federal Police (FP) officers on two undercover CIA agents in route to Cuernavaca, Morelos in August 2012 was purposeful.

"The officers intended to kill the agents, because they regarded them as 'dangerous criminals' " alleged the paper, which said it had examined court documents in the ongoing trial of the 14.

From MGR's original report of the case (Sept. 17, 2012):

"In late August two American CIA agents, operating clandestinely in Mexico, were saved from the unpleasant effects of AK-47 and AR-15 rounds (136 of them, to be exact) by the Level 7 armor plating of their Toyota Land Cruiser - but just barely. By the time (other) Federal Police units arrived on the scene and ordered a cease fire, shrapnel had already penetrated the vehicle and slightly wounded the men, as well as the Mexican marine officer accompanying them as translator and aide-de-camp. It was a business trip the agents surely will never forget." Fallout continues after attack on CIA agents, as Mexico and U.S. disagree over what happened at Tres Marías

The two CIA agents and the Mexican attache accompanying them narrowly survived. The American operatives were spirited out of the country hours later in violation of standard exit protocols, according to attorneys for the accused FP officers at the time. Mexico City's boss Marcelo Ebrard wants to know: are CIA agents operating undercover in his country? (Aug. 28, 2012).

Pressed for details soon after the incident, U.S. Embassy officials in Mexico City denied knowing who the Americans were. The Washington Post blew the whistle almost immediately.

La Jornada reported the FP officers wore neither uniforms nor standard flak jackets which would have identified them as law enforcement agents. They chased the Americans' vehicle for miles along the Mexico City-Cuernavaca highway, finally blowing out its tires and forcing it to a halt. One of the CIA operatives was wounded in the forearm and buttocks as the FP agents riddled it with machine gun fire.

"Four of the FP officers fired on the driver's side, and three others on the passenger side. One, armed with an AK-47, fired on the vehicle in an up and down motion. Other officers continued shooting from the cover of nearby trees," according to La Jornada. "They focused on the driver, wounding him in the head, face, right arm and right leg."

The CIA agents were unarmed, and only the heavy metal plating of their vehicle saved them in time to be rescued by other security forces which soon arrived at the remote scene.

La Jornada dodged the ultimate question - whether the FP officers on trial believed the Americans were organized crime capos, or were rogues who knew all along the identity of the U.S. operatives. Some here insist on the latter, and deny that the case was one of drug war confusion.

Oct. 25, 2013 - U.S. DEA gets its wings clipped in Mexico
July 10, 2013 - Mexico turns up heat on U.S. over PRISM surveillance

Federal Police corruption at Mexico City International Airport, 2012
Aug. 19 - Federal Police reassign hundreds of Mexico City airport officers to weed out corruption
June 28 - Mexico offers $5 million pesos for "traitor agents" in slaying of three fellow officers
June 27 - "Narco Feds" operating out of Mexico City airport sent huge amount of drugs to U.S.
June 25 - Three dead in AICM shooting

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