MS-13 Members Plot to Kill a Federal (ICE) Agent
www.upi.com : November 4th 2009

Link:
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/11/04/Salvadoran-gangs-targeted-NYC-agent/UPI-40531257372453/

Summary:
According to his own statements in prison, MS-13 member Walter (Duke) Torres was put in charge of a plot to murder a federal agent in New York City. Torres is reportedly a member of a Virginia based Clique, which received orders from MS-13 gang leadership in El Salvador to conduct the operation. Torres divulged this information while detained after being arrested in Queens on a Virginia warrant. The existence of this plot seems to be confirmed by an additional MS-13 informant who added that this federal agent was targeted because of his vigorous efforts to target gang members.

Analysis:
This event marks a milestone in the evolution of this gang. In past analysis, MS-13 has been described as a loose network of ill-defined cliques, with shifting loyalties. If true, this event demonstrates several key emerging attributes, new to the gang.

First, command and control was exerted from prison in El Salvador. Until now, evidence of control emanating from Salvadorian prisons existed, but was ill-defined and anecdotal. This seems to be a clear and unambiguous example of an operation involving multiple cliques being directed from prison in El Salvador.

Second, the gang seems to have more enhanced situational and threat awareness. Perhaps, this is due to people apprehended by this ICE agent, ending up deported and back in Salvadorian prison. It is worth noting that the gang seems able to identify high level enforcement personalities and target them, albeit clumsily.

Finally, this is clearly an escalation. We’ve seen these sorts of attacks on the border for years now, conducted largely by the Gulf and Sinaloa Cartels, which have also been linked to MS-13. As expected, we now see this sort of crime occurring not on the border but in the heart of our biggest city. You can expect these types of events to escalate both in sophistication and level of violence.