By Juan Montoya
BROWNSVILLE - A U.S. Customs and Border Protection report indicated that an unmanned drone flying along the Texas-Mexico border launched a bomb on suspected militant illegal aliens attending a pachanga on the northern banks of the Rio Grande.
There were several alleged aliens killed and scores wounded, according to the Customs report.
But some survivors at the site - near the Lerma Ranch - say the group
was having a pachanga and having carne asada, and were not firing at the drone as the government reported.
"They were hunting rabbits nearby when 'boom,' and they were gone," said a family member.
"Our intelligence reported that several illegals aliens and possible militants intent on violating our immigration laws were in the area," said a Customs spokesperson. "We, of course, regret any loss of innocent lives, but they were in a high-traffic corridor known as a crossing point for illegals. We will conduct an in-house inquiry to ascertain the identity of the suspected aliens involved."
The drone overflights came about as a result of the indefatigable efforts of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who serves as chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism.
Cuellar, not to be outdone by Texas Republican Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn joined in calling on FAA Administrator J. Randolph Babbitt urging him to open airspace over the border to let the U.S. Customs and Border Protection fly unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVS, as part of an effort to secure the nation’s border.
U.S. Rep. Solomon C. Ortiz, D-Texas, said he, too, joined the drone bandwagon saying he supported the efforts to get the drones to fly over the U.S.-Mexico border, said Jose Borjon, spokesman for Ortiz.
"He believes these drones are used in fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and he said they are good methods for collecting information and surveillance and he is supportive of them," Borjon said."As for those killed, well, we don't take credit for that. A few less aliens here and a few there isn't going to hurt anything, now is it?"
There were several alleged aliens killed and scores wounded, according to the Customs report.
But some survivors at the site - near the Lerma Ranch - say the group
was having a pachanga and having carne asada, and were not firing at the drone as the government reported."They were hunting rabbits nearby when 'boom,' and they were gone," said a family member.
"Our intelligence reported that several illegals aliens and possible militants intent on violating our immigration laws were in the area," said a Customs spokesperson. "We, of course, regret any loss of innocent lives, but they were in a high-traffic corridor known as a crossing point for illegals. We will conduct an in-house inquiry to ascertain the identity of the suspected aliens involved."
The drone overflights came about as a result of the indefatigable efforts of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who serves as chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism.
Cuellar, not to be outdone by Texas Republican Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn joined in calling on FAA Administrator J. Randolph Babbitt urging him to open airspace over the border to let the U.S. Customs and Border Protection fly unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVS, as part of an effort to secure the nation’s border.
U.S. Rep. Solomon C. Ortiz, D-Texas, said he, too, joined the drone bandwagon saying he supported the efforts to get the drones to fly over the U.S.-Mexico border, said Jose Borjon, spokesman for Ortiz.
"He believes these drones are used in fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and he said they are good methods for collecting information and surveillance and he is supportive of them," Borjon said."As for those killed, well, we don't take credit for that. A few less aliens here and a few there isn't going to hurt anything, now is it?"
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