October 15, 2007, 5:35 PM
Playing Cat and Mouse in the Desert
Posted by Armen Keteyian

By Armen Keteyian and Michael Rey

(AP)The sun had long since set as we scanned the desert with night vision lenses, a green phosphorescent glow visible in the distance, specks of bright white light dancing before my eyes. Off to my right stood Sgt. Jim Murphy, head of the Pima County Border Crimes Unit. On this night a small army of men were searching for so-called bajadores, modern-day desert bandits that, increasingly, are bringing violence along the Mexican border into America’s backyard.

Tall and square-jawed Murphy is an ex-military operative who drives a SUV like Jeff Gordon and speaks with the quiet, confident air of an NFL quarterback in a linebacker’s body. He’s got a tough job, no two ways about it. For a little over a year now rival gangs of bajadores have been in the midst of a what authorities here call an “all out warâ€