by Michael YoakumImpunity Watch Reporter, North America

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Mexican authorities arrested notorious drug king Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Saturday at a condominium in the resort town of Mazatlán. News spread quickly to Washington, where US Attorney’s office announced Sunday that they will seek extradition of Guzman.

Authorities apprehended Guzman in a raid just before dawn in Mazatlán, pinning him to a bed before he could reach a Kalashnikov rifle lying on the floor. The condominium where Guzman was captured has a reputation for being a hangout for drug traffickers.

News of Guzman’s capture has been celebrated in the US, where he is considered one of the most notorious drug traffickers, responsible for as much as 80% of the drug trade in Chicago.

Attorney General Eric Holder said of his capture, “the apprehension of Joaquin ‘Chapo’ Guzmán Loera, by Mexican authorities is a landmark achievement, and a victory for the citizens of both Mexico and the United States.”

Holder added that he was pleased that US law enforcement was able to cooperate with Mexican authorities in capturing Guzman.

Pressure on Guzman’s gang, the Sinaloa cartel, has increased in recent months as Mexican authorities have captured or killed several lieutenants. Information gained during raids on those cartel members ultimately yielded information, namely cell phone data, that aided in capturing Guzman.

The Sinaloa cartel is considered one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the world, having a wide reach into Europe and Asia. The cartel is heavily involved in the stream of violence in Mexico over the drug trade that has killed tens of thousands.

Despite his infamy, Guzman has been featured on Forbes’ list of the 100 most powerful people with an estimated wealth of $1 billion.

In his hometown of Badiraguato, Guzman is honored in song that pays homage to his small stature but wide reaching power. The area, known for harboring some of the most notorious drug traffickers, fears and admires people like Guzman.

For more information, please see:

The Guardian – Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán: US to seek cartel leader’s extradition from Mexico – 23 February 2014

BBC News – Man and myth: Joaquin ‘Shorty’ Guzman – 22 February 2014

CNN – After years on run, Sinaloa cartel chief ‘El Chapo’ Guzman arrested – 22 February 2014

NBC News – Authorities Arrest Mexican Drug Kingpin Joaquin Guzman – 22 February 2014

The New York Times – El Chapo, Most-Wanted Drug Lord, Is Captured in Mexico – 22 February 2014

By Brandon R. Cottrell 
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – In a document released by Edward Snowden, a former contractor with the United States National Security Agency (“NSA”), an Australian intelligence agency kept tabs on communications between a US law firm and the Indonesian government and shared their findings with the NSA.

Though the US law firm has not yet been positively identified, it is believed to be the Chicago based firm, Mayer Brown, which had been retained by Indonesia.  Indonesia had needed legal advice as it was in a trade dispute with the United States.  The communications involved here were protected by the attorney-client privilege, yet could still lawfully be used by the NSA so long as it was for intelligence purposes.

While it is not yet known whether this data was collected so that the US would have leverage in any future talks with Indonesia, the data would be “highly useful intelligence for interested US customers.”  The N.S.A. has since declined to answer any questions regarding this incident, including whether the collected information was shared with any of the United States trade officials or negotiators working on the Indonesia dispute.

Duane Layton, a Mayer Brown lawyer involved in the trade talks, said he did not have any evidence that he or the firm had been subject to surveillance but said that he “always wonder[s] if someone is listening, because you would have to be an idiot not to wonder in this day and age.”

Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott has not issued a specific statement regarding the document, but did say that any material gathered by Australia is “for the benefit of our friends and to protect our citizens and the citizens of other countries.”

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa meanwhile does not understand how a dispute over shrimp exports from Indonesia to the US would have an impact on global security.  Additionally, he said that “neighbors like Indonesia and Australia should be looking out for each other, not turning against each other . . . we should be listening to each and not listening in.”

The Obama Administration routinely emphasizes the NSA’s sweeping power as necessary to fight terrorism, yet recent documents released by Snowden show that that the NSA spies on trade negotiations, and communications among economic officials in other countries.  While the NSA has not denied that they possess such information, they remain steadfast in denying engagement in economic espionage.

Australia, which is part of the Five Eyes Alliance (the other members include Australia, Britain, Canada, and the United States), is often accused of helping the NSA collect data that it would otherwise unlawfully be able to collect, though the NAS has repeatedly said it does not utilize such measures.

 

For further information, please see:

The Guardian – Uncalled for Clarifications by Tony Abbott – 16 Feb. 14

NY Times – Spying by N.S.A. Ally Entangled U.S. Law Firm – 15 Feb. 14

The Voice of Russia – NSA’s Australian Allies Spied On Indonesia-Contracted US Law Firm – 16 Feb. 14

Washington Post – Indonesia Baffled By Spying On Shrimp Spat – 17 Feb. 14

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – According to an NSA memo, a civilian NSA employee resigned last month after having his security clearance revoked for aiding Edward Snowden in acquiring confidential information. Representatives from the NSA told Congress that the civilian employee was forced out after an investigation to “assign accountability” for Edward Snowden’s disclosure of classified materials.

Two other individuals, an active duty military member and a civilian contractor, have been implicated in aiding Snowden in gathering materials, according to the NSA memo, and have been barred from accessing NSA headquarters.

The memo, authored by the director of the agency’s legislative affairs office, Ethan L. Bauman, was intended to answer Congressional inquiries about who, other than Snowden, would be held accountable for his disclosure of classified documents. The memo indicates that no senior level NSA officials will be disciplined for Snowden’s actions.

It said that an NSA civilian, reportedly Snowden’s supervisor, gave Snowden his Public Key Infrastructure certificate, the first step in a process to access restricted files. Snowden then captured the NSA civilian’s password when he entered it on Snowden’s computer.

Snowden denied in past interview that he stole passwords from colleagues in order to gain access to classified documents.

The Washington Post reports that a senior official working on the investigation assured that the three individuals accused of aiding Snowden were not being accused of colluding. Rather, investigators suspect that Snowden independently used the three individuals to help gain access to classified materials.

James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Snowden took advantage of a “perfect storm” of security flaws.

“He knew exactly what he was doing,” Clapper said. “And it was his job as assistant administrator to arrange across a lot of the databases. And he was pretty skilled at staying below the radar, so what he was doing wasn’t visible.”

Since the breach, the NSA has introduced policies to prevent similar breaches; system administrator positions will no longer be filled by contractors and access to information will divided among several individuals.

For more information, please see:

The LA Times – Three former NSA workers accused of aiding Snowden – 14 February 2014

The New York Times – N.S.A. Forces Out Civilian Employee With Snowden Tie – 13 February 2014

The Washington Post – NSA employee implicated in Snowden probe resigned, memo says – 13 February 2014

TIME – NSA Memo Says Snowden Tricked Colleague to Get Password – 13 February 2014

NBC News – Exclusive: Snowden Swiped Password From NSA Coworker – 12 February 2014

By Brandon R. Cottrell
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America 

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – The body of Gregorio Jimenez, a Mexican journalist who was kidnapped from his home several weeks ago, has been found in the town of Las Choapas, along side two other unidentified bodies.

Jimenez, who worked for the El Liberal del Sur newspaper, had recently been reporting on the wave of kidnappings in his hometown of Coatzacoalcos.  In particular, he wrote about the disappearance of Ernesto Ruiz Guillen and how there was little being done in that investigation.

Gina Dominguez, a Veracruz state spokeswoman, said authorities believe Teresa Hernandez threatened Jimenez three months ago after a falling out between her son and his daughter.  The four men arrested earlier this week claim that Hernandez paid them to kidnap and kill him.

Several people have been arrested as a result of the investigation, including one of Jimenez’s neighbors.  However, some government officials have said that the murder was in response to a personal vendetta and had nothing to do with his work as a reporter.

Whether that is believable is, however, questionable as in at least three cases involving murdered journalists, the state attributed the murder to personal disputes.  Additionally, Jimenez’s coworker doesn’t “believe in what the government says because Gregorio was not one to get into fights, he was a kind, humble person.”

In response to the kidnapping, Jimenez’s colleagues had organized a social media campaign in hopes that Jimenez would be found.  Now that Jimenez has been found dead, many are outraged and are calling for the resignation of Javier Duarte de Ochoa, the governor of Veracruz.

In addition, Articulo 19, a press rights group, has called for a thorough investigation and said that it is  “unacceptable to rule out the journalistic work of . . . Jimenez as a possible motive for his murder” and that authorities should do more to “guarantee the safety of the victim’s family and the media outlets at which he worked.”

Since 2010, at least a dozen Veracruz journalists have been killed.  Veracruz is plagued by drug related violence and the Zetas cartel has a strong presence in the area.  Consequently, there are numerous accounts of abductions, extortions, and robberies.

Collectively, there have been eighty-seven journalists murdered in Mexico since 2000, which makes Mexico one of the most dangerous countries for members of the media to work in.

 

For further information, please see:

BBC – Missing Mexican Journalist Gregorio Jimenez Found Dead – 12 Feb. 14

Business Week – Few Believe Account Of Mexican Reporter’s Slaying – 13 Feb. 14

Global Post – Mexican Journalists Demand Full Investigation Of Reporter’s Murder – 12 Feb. 14

Global Post – Kidnapped Mexican Journalist Found Dead – 11 Feb. 14