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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 10 March 2023
Apology letter found after U.S. citizens killed in Mexico

By ALFREDO PEÑA amoros and then loaded
Associated Press into a pickup truck.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico Another friend, who re-
(AP) — A letter claiming to mained in Brownsville, had
be from the Mexican drug called police after being
cartel blamed for abduct- unable to reach the group
ing four Americans and that crossed the border Fri-
killing two of them con- day morning.
demned the violence and Brownsville Police Depart-
said the gang turned over ment spokesman Martin
to authorities its own mem- Sandoval said Thursday
bers who were responsible. that officers followed proto-
In a letter obtained by The col by checking local hos-
Associated Press through pitals and jails after receiv-
a Tamaulipas state law ing the report of the missing
enforcement source, the people. A detective was
Scorpions faction of the assigned to the case within
Gulf cartel apologized to the hour and then alerted
the residents of Matamoros the FBI after realizing the
where the Americans were people had crossed into
kidnapped, the Mexican Mexico. Shortly after, the
woman who died in the FBI took over the case as
cartel shootout, and the social media videos began
four Americans and their A Mexican police investigator inspects the minivan were four Americans where shot and taken to show a shootout with
families. from last week, at the Tamaulipas State Prosecutor´s headquarters in Matamoros, Mexico, the victims matching the
Drug cartels have been Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Associated Press description of the missing
known to issue commu- people.
niques to intimidate rivals lack of discipline,” the letter on condition that they re- searching for, along with Authorities located them
and authorities, but also at reads, adding that those in- main anonymous because the letter. That official also Tuesday morning on the
times like these to do some dividuals had gone against they were not authorized to spoke on condition of ano- outskirts of the city, guard-
public relations work to try the cartel’s rules, which in- share the document. nymity because they were ed by a man who was ar-
to smooth over situations clude “respecting the life State officials did not im- not authorized to speak rested.
that could affect their busi- and well-being of the inno- mediately publicly confirm about the case. Two of the Americans were
ness. cent.” having new suspects in cus- Last Friday, four Americans dead, one was wounded
“We have decided to turn A photograph of five men tody. crossed into Matamoros and the other was un-
over those who were di- face down on the pave- A separate state security from Texas so that one of harmed.
rectly involved and respon- ment and bound accom- official said that five men them could have cosmetic On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney
sible in the events, who at panied the letter, which had been found tied up surgery. General Merrick Garland
all times acted under their was shared with The Asso- inside one of the vehicles Around midday they were blamed the drug cartels for
own decision-making and ciated Press by the source that authorities had been fired on in downtown Mat- the Americans’ deaths.q

Indonesia landslide death toll hits

32; 22 still missing

ing police and military, (186 miles) from Genting, relief supplies, including
with heavy equipment to but one person died at sea tents, blankets and food
search for 22 people still on the way. The search arrived on the island from
missing who were appar- and rescue operation had Jakarta and nearby islands
ently trapped in houses been hampered by heavy on Wednesday. Monday’s
that were buried under rains around the disaster landslide displaced about
the landslide, which was 4 site. 1,300 people who were
meters (13 feet) deep, said Weather had forced the taken to four temporary
This aerial photo released by Indonesia’s National Disaster Abdul Rahman, who heads search effort to be halt- shelters, Suharyanto said.
Management Agency (BNPB) on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, Natuna’s search and res- ed several times, while Authorities feared the
shows a village affected by landslide on Serasan Island, Natuna cue agency. “Improved downed communications death toll could still rise.
regency, Indonesia.
Associated Press weather allowed us to re- lines and electricity also “Relief supplies have
cover more bodies,” Rah- have impeded the opera- reached those in need so
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — plunged down surrounding man said in a video state- tion, said Suharyanto who, far,” he said. Seasonal rains
Rescue workers recovered hills on Monday, burying 30 ment. Eight people were like many Indonesians, uses and high tides in recent
more bodies buried under houses in Genting village pulled out alive with injuries, a single name. days have caused dozens
tons of mud following a on a tiny remote island in three of whom are in criti- “We are doing our best to of landslides and wide-
landslide that crashed onto the Natuna archipelago cal condition, National Di- find the missing victims,” Su- spread flooding across
a hilly village on Indonesia’s at the edge of the South saster Management Agen- haryanto said, adding that much of Indonesia, a chain
remote Natuna islands, China Sea, the National cy chief Suharyanto said sniffer dogs were also be- of 17,000 islands where
bringing the death toll to Search and Rescue Agen- Thursday. They were rushed ing mobilized in the search. millions of people live in
32, officials said Thursday. cy said in a statement. late Monday to a hospital Two helicopters and sev- mountainous areas or near
The landslide, triggered Authorities have deployed in Pontianak city on Borneo eral vessels carrying rescu- fertile flood plains close to
by torrential downpours, nearly 700 rescuers, includ- island, about 300 kilometers ers, medical teams and rivers.q