By Allan Lengel

WASHINGTON — Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr. commented Thursday on the deadly effort to extradite Jamaican kingpin Christopher “Dudus”  Coke, and offered condolences to the Jamaican people for “the loss of the citizens and law enforcement officials who have been killed.”

“As the Jamaican government seeks to uphold the rule of law, the United States stands in support of its efforts to ensure public safety and to combat drug trafficking and other criminal activity,” Holder said at a State Department function on Carribean-U.S. Security. “And we honor our brave law enforcement partners for their service, sacrifice, and commitment to the cause of justice.”

Jamaican soldiers and police have been battling with gunmen who have been fighting in Kingston to prevent the extradition of Coke to New York.  As of Thursday, about 70 people had been killed including three police officer, the Associated Press reported. It said 28 police officers had been wounded.

“As we continue to monitor events in Jamaica, let me assure each of you that this effort is a top priority, not only for the Department of Justice, but also for the Departments of State, Homeland Security and Defense. And we are all proud to call you our partners.”

To read complete speech click on read more.

By Allan Lengel

WASHINGTON — It’s no surprise considering the frequency of attempted terrorist attacks within the U.S. in the past year.

CNN reports that an unclassified Department of Homeland Security memo dated May 21 to law enforcement says “the number and pace of attempted attacks against the United States over the past nine months have surpassed the number of attempts during any other previous one-year period.”

The report said terrorist groups were expected to try for more attacks inside the U.S. with “increased frequency.”

To read more click here.

By Allan Lengel

The deep-seeded signs of corruption continued to surface Wednesday when Mexican authorities arrested the slick mayor of Cancun, a popular tourist destination, on charges of money laundering and working with drug cartels, the Washington Post reported.

The Post reported that Mayor Gregorio Sanchez was arrested at the Cancun airport after returning from Mexico City.

“He was  moving so much money, and it just didn’t match up with the amount he made as a public servant,” a statement from the prosecutors office said, according to the Post.

Critics complained it was just misguided political mischief on the part of Mexican President Felipe Calderon, the Post wrote.

To read more click here.

Sam Hicks/fbi photo

WASHINGTON — Last November, the Baltimore FBI office was named after Sam Hicks, a slain Pittsburgh FBI agent who had worked as a Baltimore cop.

Now his name lives on in a piece of national legislation.

The House on Tuesday passed a bill named after Hicks that will allow federal law enforcement agencies to assist with relocation costs for families of slain agents who want to return to their hometown, according to a release by the FBI Agents Association.

“Today the House of Representatives passed the same version of the Special Agent Samuel Hicks Families of Fallen Heroes Act that was recently passed by the Senate by a vote of 412 to 0, clearing the legislation for Presidential signature,” the Association said in a statement. “This legislation will allow federal law enforcement agencies to assist families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty with relocation costs if they need to move back to their home communities.”

Hicks was slain in Nov. 19, 2008 while executing an arrest warrant.

The story about the House passing the legislation was first reported by the law enforcement website Main Justice.

By Allan Lengel

Some crooks are using the name of the head of the Detroit FBI to run what amounts to a Nigerian scam letter, according to the FBI.

The FBI issued a warning saying a bogus letter is being emailed that says the recipient is the beneficiary of millions of dollars and needs to send money to release the funds.

The “Guarantee of Payment” letter is signed by Andrew Arena, special agent in charge of the FBI in Detroit.

The letter says that “the International clamp down on Terrorists” has put a hold on the funds. But the recipient of the letter can release the funds by sending money.

Along with the letter, is a second email/letter assuring a “100% Payment Guarantee” that is written on the letterhead of a legitimate institution and is signed also by Arena of the FBI, the FBI said.

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST

• Feds In NY Built Case Against Jamaican Kingpin With Wiretaps and Interviews (NY Times)
• Two Arrested for Insider Trading in Disney Case (NY Times)
• Police Chiefs Voice Concerns to Atty. Gen. About Az Immigration Law (Arizona Republic)
• Arkansas Police Mourn Loss of Officers Killed by Teen and Dad (AOL News)
• Amtrak Conducts Security Drills from NH to Virginia (AP)
• Feds Shut Down Child Porn Social Network (AP)
• More Details on Phoenix Cop Who was Fatally Shot (AP)
• NY Teen Gets 25 Years in Hate Crime Stabbing (AP)
• Ohio Coroner Fires Worker After Wrong Baby Cremated (AP)
• Feds Issue Terrorist Lookout Along U.S.-Mexico Border For Somali Terrorist (Fox News)
• GOP Wants Probe Into White House Job Offer to Sestak (Newser)

Sen. Mary Landrieu/govt photo

Four conservative activists including political prankster James O’Keefe,  pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to misdemeanor charges stemming from their prank in January to tamper with Sen. Mary Landrieu’s office phones in New Orleans, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.

O’Keefe, the group leader and the most prominent of the four, was sentenced to three years probation, 100 hours of community service and fined a $1,500 fine, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.

He gained notoriety for wearing a pimp costume in a video that embarrassed ACORN and exposed some less than admirable traits — or at least less than admirable employees — of the non-profit organization.

The other three people were sentenced to  two years probation, 75 hours of community service and fined them $1,500, the paper reported.. They pleaded guilty to entering real property belonging to the United States under false pretenses.

O’Keefe tried using his cell phone to capture two men posing as telephone repairmen in the Senator’s office.

The defendants said in court they did not intend to commit a crime, the Picayune reported.