Whack-a-mole: Mexico rogues' gallery in agent's killing is full of mystery men

Mexico rogues' gallery in agent's killing is full of mystery men | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Federal agents and police made no secret of their mission as they hit the streets last week to arrest alleged drug-cartel members and associates in response to the slaying of an American agent in Mexico: punch back.

They raided houses and businesses from Houston to New Jersey and many points in between. All told, they arrested 676 people and seized more than $12 million in cash, as well as tons of drugs, stacks of guns and 94 vehicles.

But five days after the raids were announced in Washington, no one will say who was arrested as part of the operation, and on what charges. ...

Eric Reed, a Houston lawyer and former federal prosecutor, said only time will tell how solid the charges are against those arrested. 'When you have the cold-blooded murder of an American agent, there is going to be tremendous pressure and self-motivation by the agents to go and ramp up efforts to get people who they suspect are in the country illegally or doing illegal things,' Reed said. 'This is a domestic 'shock and awe campaign,' ' he said. 'You would like to believe it is based on evidence they have against the various individuals that were arrested.' ...

David Adler, a Houston defense attorney and former CIA officer, said the government should be cautious.

"Any time the government tries to send a message by mass arrests, the risk greatly increases for innocent people to be caught up in the net," he said. "I know I sound naive, but law enforcement should not be based on politics or public relations." Another question raised by the raids is why the government had not done more sooner, he said. "We should not be satisfied with a law-enforcement community that plods along until one of their own is killed," he said. "Then, suddenly, they leap into action and amazingly find 700 people to arrest.""