U.S. attorney reveals Middle Eastern 'pipeline'

Bob Campbell
Midland Reporter-Telegram
10/12/2007


S. Attorney Johnny Sutton of San Antonio on Thursday described "the pipeline" through which illegal immigrants from the Middle East are getting into the U.S. and said most are trying to improve their living conditions like those from other countries.

Addressing the annual Court Day Observance Luncheon of the Permian Basin Legal Secretaries Association, he said local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are using every means available to thwart would-be terrorists and U.S.-Mexico border security has greatly improved.

"The pipeline starts in Moscow, Russia, and runs through Cuba and Guatemala City, Guatemala, where they get on buses to the border," Sutton told 120 people at the Petroleum Club.

"I prefer to live in a free, dangerous society rather than a secure society without freedoms. But we are in a war and I want to use the tools we have to knock down terrorist cells before they act."

In a fast paced 45 minute speech, he said the biggest danger may be in advancing technology.

"The Islamic jihadists may have a Seventh century mentality, but my fear is that they're going to use this technology to destroy us," Sutton said.

He said the 2,000-mile southern border is better secured now than at any time in history, but the 5,000-mile Canadian border remains worrisome despite the Canadians' vigilance.

Speaking on "Terrorism and Immigration," he defended his prosecutors' imprisonment of U.S. Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean and Edwards County Deputy Gilmer Hernandez of Rocksprings.

Saying he has been called "Johnny Satan" by some critics of the prosecutions, he said Ramos and Compean hid evidence and did not report their February 2005 shooting of a Mexican drug dealer.

He said that contrary to reports, the van Hernandez fired at, hitting an illegal immigrant woman in the mouth, had not tried to run over the deputy in April 2005.

Sutton said he disagreed with the 11- and 12-year terms the border agents received, but they were convicted after a 2 1/2 -week trial and sentenced according to federal guidelines.

He said drug dealer Osvaldo Aldrete got immunity because there was "corruption that needed to be rooted out" of the Border Patrol. "There is nobody who'd like to prosecute him more than me," said Sutton, explaining the dealer would have been tried if the agents had not made it impossible to connect him to the marijuana in his van.

"If he ever comes across the border, we will prosecute him."

He said Hernandez pleaded guilty and accepted 12 months because he faced 10 years under guidelines mandating stiff sentences for gun related offenses.

In the six years he has been the Justice Department's presiding official, Sutton said, the Western District of Texas has tried "only a few" legal officials among 33,000 felony defendants.

Those included two San Antonio city councilmen for grafting and Texas Attorney General Dan Morales, who served 3 1/2 years for falsifying documents to give more money to a lawyer in the state's lawsuit against tobacco manufacturers, he said.

Sutton said the nation's rule of law and equality of citizens is a primary reason it is the most envied destination in the world.

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