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Ed and Fran

Dec 15, 2008, 4:32 PM

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US anti-kidnap expert kidnapped in Mexico

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http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/.../content_7307965.htm

Reads in part:

MONTERREY, Mexico – Mexican gunmen have kidnapped a U.S. security consultant who negotiated the release of dozens of kidnap victims in Latin America.
Gunmen abducted Felix Batista outside a restaurant last Wednesday in the relatively safe northern industrial city of Saltillo in Coahuila state, Mexican authorities and his employer, security consultancy ASI Global, said on Monday.
Batista, a Miami-based Cuban American credited with negotiating the release of victims abducted by Colombian rebels, was snatched after he stepped outside the restaurant, answering a call on his cellular phone, Mexican media said.
The U.S. embassy in Mexico City said it was investigating and declined to comment further.

Hey, when the expert gets himself kidnapped, what hope do we common folk have............

(found in the summary of Mexican news articles on the MexConnect front page)

(This post was edited by Ed and Fran on Dec 15, 2008, 4:34 PM)

Brian

Dec 16, 2008, 6:36 AM

Post #2 of 3 (731 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] US anti-kidnap expert kidnapped in Mexico

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Hey, when the expert gets himself kidnapped, what hope do we common folk have............

The victim was giving seminars to local police agencies. What a high risk endeavor given that so many of the kidnappings in Mexico are actually committed by the police. I can just imagine one of his "students" dropping a dime and giving accomplices his whereabouts and agenda.

Here is a link to an interview he gave to Ana Maria Salazar with suggestions to avoid becoming a victim:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hI462ND8js

(This post was edited by Brian on Dec 16, 2008, 6:57 AM)

raferguson

Dec 16, 2008, 8:33 PM

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Re: [Ed and Fran] US anti-kidnap expert kidnapped in Mexico

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There is a new study out on kidnapping from a research group associated with the national legislature, the Centro de Documentación, Información y Análisis de la Cámara de Diputados.

They conclude that kidnapping is extremely profitable for criminals, particularly since relatively few kidnappings are reported to the police, and even fewer criminals are ever caught. The newspaper headline for this article described kidnapping as an inexhaustible source of funds for criminals.

Kidnapping, and deaths related to kidnapping, have been increasing dramatically since the days of Carlos Salinas.

The study reported, as I have seen before, that Mexico is number two in the world in number of kidnappings, after Columbia.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com