text:
WASHINGTON, Illinois (CNN) -- Ty Ziegel peers from beneath his Marine Corps baseball cap, his once boyish face burned beyond recognition by a suicide bomber's attack in Iraq just three days before Christmas 2004.

Ty Ziegel, a Marine, was badly wounded in Iraq. He battled the VA over disability benefits when he returned.

He lost part of his skull in the blast and part of his brain was damaged. Half of his left arm was amputated and some of the fingers were blown off his right hand.

Ziegel, a 25-year-old Marine sergeant, knew the dangers of war when he was deployed for his second tour in Iraq.

But he didn't expect a new battle when he returned home as a wounded warrior: a fight with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Sometimes, you get lost in the system," he told CNN. "I feel like a Social Security number. I don't feel like Tyler Ziegel."

His story is one example of how medical advances in the battlefield have outpaced the home front. Many wounded veterans return home feeling that the VA system, specifically its 62-year-old disability ratings system, has failed them.  Watch Ziegel display his model skull Â»

"The VA system is not ready, and they simply don't have time to catch up," Tammy Duckworth -- herself a wounded veteran who heads up the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs -- told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in March.

VA Acting Secretary Gordon Mansfield said cases like Ziegel's are rare -- that the majority of veterans are moving through the process and "being taken care of." He also said most veterans are fairly compensated.

"Any veteran with the same issue, if it's a medical disability, ... it is going to get the same exact result anywhere in our system," he said.

More than 28,500 troops have been wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom, including about 8,500 that have needed air transport, according to the U.S. military.  See photos of these Iraq war heroes Â»

A recent Harvard study found that the cost of caring for those wounded over the course of their lifetime could ultimately cost more than $660 billion.

In Ziegel's case, he spent nearly two years recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. Once he got out of the hospital, he was unable to hold a job. He anticipated receiving a monthly VA disability check sufficient to cover his small-town lifestyle in Washington, Illinois.

Instead, he got a check for far less than expected. After pressing for answers, Ziegel finally received a letter from the VA that rated his injuries: 80 percent for facial disfigurement, 60 percent for left arm amputation, a mere 10 percent for head trauma and nothing for his left lobe brain injury, right eye blindness and jaw fracture.

"I don't get too mad about too many things," he said. "But once we've been getting into this, I'm ready to beat down the White House door if I need to."

"I'm not expecting to live in the lap of luxury," he added. "But I am asking them to make it comfortable to raise a family and not have to struggle."

Within 48 hours of telling his story to CNN this summer, the Office of then-VA Secretary Jim Nicholson acted on Ziegel's case. The VA changed his head trauma injury, once rated at 10 percent, to traumatic brain injury rated at 100 percent, substantially increasing his monthly disability check.

Duckworth, the Illinois VA chief, knows exactly what Ziegel and other severely wounded vets are going through. She lost both her legs when a rocket-propelled grenade struck her Blackhawk helicopter on November 12, 2004. Her right arm was also shattered.  Watch how Duckworth's wounds changed her life Â»

She told CNN she received "incredible care" at Walter Reed for 13 months, but soon realized the transition to the VA wouldn't be as smooth.

"I started worrying about the fact that maybe this country won't remember in five years that there are these war wounded," Duckworth said.

Garrett Anderson with the Illinois National Guard, for example, has been fighting the VA since October 15, 2005. Shrapnel tore through his head and body after a roadside bomb blew up the truck he was driving. He lost his right arm.

The VA initially rejected his claim, saying his severe shrapnel wounds were "not service connected."  Watch Anderson describe "my arm was hanging there" Â»

"Who would want to tell an Iraqi or Afghanistan soldier who was blown up by an IED that his wounds were not caused by his service over there?" said Anderson's wife, Sam.

After pressure from Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the VA acted on Anderson's case. He has since been awarded compensation for a traumatic brain injury.

"It upsets me that the VA system operates in a way that it takes people of power -- and who you know and what you know -- to get what you want," said Anderson, who is now retired.

When asked about Anderson's case specifically, the VA's Mansfield said such cases make him "more dedicated" to fixing the system.

In July, President Bush and a commission appointed to review the care of veterans returning from war announced the need for a complete overhaul of the disability ratings system, which dates back to World War II. The VA is now considering action on the commission's recommendations.

Ziegel eventually won his battle. Still he feels for so many others he believes are getting cheated by the system.

"We're feeding the war machine, but you never think of the war machine that comes home and needs, you know, feeding back home," he said.

His family hopes they don't have to fight the VA again. In August, Ty Ziegel's brother, 22-year-old Zach Ziegel, was deployed to Iraq.

"I want to make the VA system better because if he has to go through anything I went through, that's really going to upset me. That'll make my fuse real short and hot," Ty Ziegel said. E-mail to a friend

text: WASHINGTON

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text: Tyler

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text: VA

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text: simply

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text: Duckworth

text: herself

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text: wounded

text: veteran

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text: heads

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text: Illinois

text: Department

text: of

text: Veteran

text: Affairs

text: told

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text: Senate

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: Committee

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text: March

text: VA

text: Acting

text: Secretary

text: Gordon

text: Mansfield

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text: Ziegel

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text: wounded

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text: Operation

text: Iraqi

text: Freedom

text: including

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text: have

text: needed

text: air

text: transport

text: according

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text: U.S.

text: military

text: See

text: photos

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text: nearly

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text: hospital

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text: Illinois

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text: check

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text: After

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text: answers

text: Ziegel

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text: letter

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text: VA

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text: arm

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text: trauma

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text: nothing

text: for

text: his

text: left

text: lobe

text: brain

text: injury

text: right

text: eye

text: blindness

text: and

text: jaw

text: fracture

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: get

text: too

text: mad

text: about

text: too

text: many

text: things

text: he

text: said

text: But

text: once

text: we

text: 've

text: been

text: getting

text: into

text: this

text: I

text: 'm

text: ready

text: to

text: beat

text: down

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: door

text: if

text: I

text: need

text: to

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: expecting

text: to

text: live

text: in

text: the

text: lap

text: of

text: luxury

text: he

text: added

text: But

text: I

text: am

text: asking

text: them

text: to

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text: comfortable

text: to

text: raise

text: a

text: family

text: and

text: not

text: have

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text: struggle

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text: hours

text: of

text: telling

text: his

text: story

text: to

text: CNN

text: this

text: summer

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text: Office

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text: then

text: VA

text: Secretary

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text: Nicholson

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text: VA

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text: rocket

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text: grenade

text: struck

text: her

text: Blackhawk

text: helicopter

text: on

text: November

text: Her

text: right

text: arm

text: was

text: also

text: shattered

text: Watch

text: how

text: Duckworth

text: 's

text: wounds

text: changed

text: her

text: life

text: Â

text: She

text: told

text: CNN

text: she

text: received

text: incredible

text: care

text: at

text: Walter

text: Reed

text: for

text: months

text: but

text: soon

text: realized

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text: transition

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text: VA

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text: fact

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text: maybe

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text: country

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text: n't

text: remember

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text: years

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text: there

text: are

text: these

text: war

text: wounded

text: Duckworth

text: said

text: Garrett

text: Anderson

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text: Illinois

text: National

text: Guard

text: for

text: example

text: has

text: been

text: fighting

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text: VA

text: since

text: October

text: Shrapnel

text: tore

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text: head

text: and

text: body

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text: roadside

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text: truck

text: he

text: was

text: driving

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text: lost

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text: right

text: arm

text: The

text: VA

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text: rejected

text: his

text: claim

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text: his

text: severe

text: shrapnel

text: wounds

text: were

text: not

text: service

text: connected

text: Watch

text: Anderson

text: describe

text: my

text: arm

text: was

text: hanging

text: there

text: Â

text: Who

text: would

text: want

text: to

text: tell

text: an

text: Iraqi

text: or

text: Afghanistan

text: soldier

text: who

text: was

text: blown

text: up

text: by

text: an

text: IED

text: that

text: his

text: wounds

text: were

text: not

text: caused

text: by

text: his

text: service

text: over

text: there

text: said

text: Anderson

text: 's

text: wife

text: Sam

text: After

text: pressure

text: from

text: Sen.

text: Dick

text: Durbin

text: of

text: Illinois

text: the

text: VA

text: acted

text: on

text: Anderson

text: 's

text: case

text: He

text: has

text: since

text: been

text: awarded

text: compensation

text: for

text: a

text: traumatic

text: brain

text: injury

text: It

text: upsets

text: me

text: that

text: the

text: VA

text: system

text: operates

text: in

text: a

text: way

text: that

text: it

text: takes

text: people

text: of

text: power

text: and

text: who

text: you

text: know

text: and

text: what

text: you

text: know

text: to

text: get

text: what

text: you

text: want

text: said

text: Anderson

text: who

text: is

text: now

text: retired

text: When

text: asked

text: about

text: Anderson

text: 's

text: case

text: specifically

text: the

text: VA

text: 's

text: Mansfield

text: said

text: such

text: cases

text: make

text: him

text: more

text: dedicated

text: to

text: fixing

text: the

text: system

text: In

text: July

text: President

text: Bush

text: and

text: a

text: commission

text: appointed

text: to

text: review

text: the

text: care

text: of

text: veterans

text: returning

text: from

text: war

text: announced

text: the

text: need

text: for

text: a

text: complete

text: overhaul

text: of

text: the

text: disability

text: ratings

text: system

text: which

text: dates

text: back

text: to

text: World

text: War

text: II

text: The

text: VA

text: is

text: now

text: considering

text: action

text: on

text: the

text: commission

text: 's

text: recommendations

text: Ziegel

text: eventually

text: won

text: his

text: battle

text: Still

text: he

text: feels

text: for

text: so

text: many

text: others

text: he

text: believes

text: are

text: getting

text: cheated

text: by

text: the

text: system

text: We

text: 're

text: feeding

text: the

text: war

text: machine

text: but

text: you

text: never

text: think

text: of

text: the

text: war

text: machine

text: that

text: comes

text: home

text: and

text: needs

text: you

text: know

text: feeding

text: back

text: home

text: he

text: said

text: His

text: family

text: hopes

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: to

text: fight

text: the

text: VA

text: again

text: In

text: August

text: Ty

text: Ziegel

text: 's

text: brother

text: old

text: Zach

text: Ziegel

text: was

text: deployed

text: to

text: Iraq

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: make

text: the

text: VA

text: system

text: better

text: because

text: if

text: he

text: has

text: to

text: go

text: through

text: anything

text: I

text: went

text: through

text: that

text: 's

text: really

text: going

text: to

text: upset

text: me

text: That

text: 'll

text: make

text: my

text: fuse

text: real

text: short

text: and

text: hot

text: Ty

text: Ziegel

text: said

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: What does Ziegel want?

answer: to make the VA system bet

text: to make the VA system bet

question: What did Ziegel say?

answer: "I feel like a Social Security number. I don't feel like Tyler Ziegel."

text: "I feel like a Social Security number. I don't feel like Tyler Ziegel."

question: Where was he attacked?

answer: Iraq

text: Iraq

question: What did the VA reject?

answer: ed his clai

text: ed his clai

question: What did Ty Ziegel lose when he was attacked?

answer: part of his skull

text: part of his skull

question: Who lost an arm and part of his skull?

answer: Ty Ziegel

text: Ty Ziegel

question: What did VA state as reason for the rejection?

answer: that the majority of veterans are moving through the process and "being taken care of."

text: that the majority of veterans are moving through the process and "being taken care of."

question: What system does he want to improve?

answer: disability ratings

text: disability ratings

question: Which arm did he lose?

answer: left

text: left

question: Who rejected his claim?

answer: The

text: The

question: What did Ty lose?

answer: part of his skull

text: part of his skull


text:
Houston, Texas (CNN) -- John Phillip Hernandez and a friend walked into the Collector's Firearms gun store in Houston, Texas, to buy a cache of weapons. Hernandez was wearing sunglasses and a dark T-shirt with the words "I Am the Scene" scrawled across the front.

It was April 28, 2007. Collector's Firearms was one of two gun stores they visited that day as part of a scheme to arm Mexican cartels across the border, according to federal court documents.

Hernandez's friend passed his background checks and did all the buying, prosecutors say. On that spring day, he purchased six weapons, including a quick-firing 7.62-caliber firearm and a favorite cartel weapon, the Bushmaster .223.

Within days, ATF investigators say, those weapons were put on the road and funneled into the hands of cartel members.

"The cartels are looking to supply their private armies, and they are coming up with more elaborate, larger schemes," said Dewey Webb, the special agent in charge of Houston's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives field office.

The Houston case offers a glimpse into the underworld of illegal gun trafficking and how Mexican drug cartels find much of their firepower in the United States. Straw purchases are made by people who are legally qualified to buy firearms, but those weapons then make their way into the hands of criminals, authorities said.

The daily struggle plays out as drugs flow north and guns and money flow south. At least 55 murders were the result of the gun scheme that began in Houston gun shops, authorities said.

Hernandez is at the center of the case, what Houston ATF agents say is one of the largest straw-purchasing schemes they have ever seen.

"He doesn't stand out in a crowd," an ATF agent told CNN. "He's just a regular guy." The agent asked not to be identified because he's been intricately involved in the investigation of this case.

Federal investigators say Hernandez recruited and organized 23 people around Houston. Together the men funneled nearly 340 firearms valued at almost $370,000 to Mexican drug cartels. ATF agents say almost 100 of those weapons have turned up at cartel-related crime scenes in Mexico and Guatemala.

Hernandez pleaded guilty in 2009 to making false statements about firearms purchases. He's currently serving an eight-year prison sentence.

Of the 23 other people connected to the case, 11 have pleaded guilty for their roles in the gun trafficking scheme. Each was sentenced to less than eight years in prison. Several others struck plea deals and continue to cooperate with federal authorities.

What made this group so effective was its ability to appear like ordinary gun buyers. All the men had clean criminal backgrounds, authorities say. It wasn't until the firearms started showing up at violent crime scenes in Mexico that federal investigators started piecing together the magnitude of the case.

ATF investigators, cooperating with Mexican authorities, traced the weapons back to various Houston gun shops and started seeing the same names of repeat customers.

"It really surprised us at first that we had this many people linked together," said the ATF agent who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Federal investigators say Hernandez and his men were reimbursed by the cartels for the money spent on the weapons, and then paid an extra $100 to $200 for each firearm they supplied.

The weapons Hernandez purchased himself, according to federal court documents, were used in the kidnapping and murder of a prominent Mexican businessman. Another group of weapons turned up in a shooting known as the "Acapulco Massacre" in 2007. Seven people were slaughtered that day, including four police officers.

ATF agents say breaking up these networks of straw purchasers in the United States is a key battlefront in the fight against Mexican drug cartels.

"These folks that are out buying these guns, they're just as responsible as the people pulling the trigger and killing people in Mexico," said Webb, Houston's top ATF agent.

text: Houston

text: Texas

text: CNN

text: John

text: Phillip

text: Hernandez

text: and

text: a

text: friend

text: walked

text: into

text: the

text: Collector

text: 's

text: Firearms

text: gun

text: store

text: in

text: Houston

text: Texas

text: to

text: buy

text: a

text: cache

text: of

text: weapons

text: Hernandez

text: was

text: wearing

text: sunglasses

text: and

text: a

text: dark

text: T

text: shirt

text: with

text: the

text: words

text: I

text: Am

text: the

text: Scene

text: scrawled

text: across

text: the

text: front

text: It

text: was

text: April

text: Collector

text: 's

text: Firearms

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: two

text: gun

text: stores

text: they

text: visited

text: that

text: day

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: scheme

text: to

text: arm

text: Mexican

text: cartels

text: across

text: the

text: border

text: according

text: to

text: federal

text: court

text: documents

text: Hernandez

text: 's

text: friend

text: passed

text: his

text: background

text: checks

text: and

text: did

text: all

text: the

text: buying

text: prosecutors

text: say

text: On

text: that

text: spring

text: day

text: he

text: purchased

text: six

text: weapons

text: including

text: a

text: quick

text: firing

text: firearm

text: and

text: a

text: favorite

text: cartel

text: weapon

text: the

text: Bushmaster

text: Within

text: days

text: ATF

text: investigators

text: say

text: those

text: weapons

text: were

text: put

text: on

text: the

text: road

text: and

text: funneled

text: into

text: the

text: hands

text: of

text: cartel

text: members

text: The

text: cartels

text: are

text: looking

text: to

text: supply

text: their

text: private

text: armies

text: and

text: they

text: are

text: coming

text: up

text: with

text: more

text: elaborate

text: larger

text: schemes

text: said

text: Dewey

text: Webb

text: the

text: special

text: agent

text: in

text: charge

text: of

text: Houston

text: 's

text: Bureau

text: of

text: Alcohol

text: Tobacco

text: Firearms

text: and

text: Explosives

text: field

text: office

text: The

text: Houston

text: case

text: offers

text: a

text: glimpse

text: into

text: the

text: underworld

text: of

text: illegal

text: gun

text: trafficking

text: and

text: how

text: Mexican

text: drug

text: cartels

text: find

text: much

text: of

text: their

text: firepower

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Straw

text: purchases

text: are

text: made

text: by

text: people

text: who

text: are

text: legally

text: qualified

text: to

text: buy

text: firearms

text: but

text: those

text: weapons

text: then

text: make

text: their

text: way

text: into

text: the

text: hands

text: of

text: criminals

text: authorities

text: said

text: The

text: daily

text: struggle

text: plays

text: out

text: as

text: drugs

text: flow

text: north

text: and

text: guns

text: and

text: money

text: flow

text: south

text: At

text: least

text: murders

text: were

text: the

text: result

text: of

text: the

text: gun

text: scheme

text: that

text: began

text: in

text: Houston

text: gun

text: shops

text: authorities

text: said

text: Hernandez

text: is

text: at

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: the

text: case

text: what

text: Houston

text: ATF

text: agents

text: say

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: largest

text: straw

text: purchasing

text: schemes

text: they

text: have

text: ever

text: seen

text: He

text: does

text: n't

text: stand

text: out

text: in

text: a

text: crowd

text: an

text: ATF

text: agent

text: told

text: CNN

text: He

text: 's

text: just

text: a

text: regular

text: guy

text: The

text: agent

text: asked

text: not

text: to

text: be

text: identified

text: because

text: he

text: 's

text: been

text: intricately

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: investigation

text: of

text: this

text: case

text: Federal

text: investigators

text: say

text: Hernandez

text: recruited

text: and

text: organized

text: people

text: around

text: Houston

text: Together

text: the

text: men

text: funneled

text: nearly

text: firearms

text: valued

text: at

text: almost

text: to

text: Mexican

text: drug

text: cartels

text: ATF

text: agents

text: say

text: almost

text: of

text: those

text: weapons

text: have

text: turned

text: up

text: at

text: cartel

text: related

text: crime

text: scenes

text: in

text: Mexico

text: and

text: Guatemala

text: Hernandez

text: pleaded

text: guilty

text: in

text: to

text: making

text: false

text: statements

text: about

text: firearms

text: purchases

text: He

text: 's

text: currently

text: serving

text: an

text: eight

text: year

text: prison

text: sentence

text: Of

text: the

text: other

text: people

text: connected

text: to

text: the

text: case

text: have

text: pleaded

text: guilty

text: for

text: their

text: roles

text: in

text: the

text: gun

text: trafficking

text: scheme

text: Each

text: was

text: sentenced

text: to

text: less

text: than

text: eight

text: years

text: in

text: prison

text: Several

text: others

text: struck

text: plea

text: deals

text: and

text: continue

text: to

text: cooperate

text: with

text: federal

text: authorities

text: What

text: made

text: this

text: group

text: so

text: effective

text: was

text: its

text: ability

text: to

text: appear

text: like

text: ordinary

text: gun

text: buyers

text: All

text: the

text: men

text: had

text: clean

text: criminal

text: backgrounds

text: authorities

text: say

text: It

text: was

text: n't

text: until

text: the

text: firearms

text: started

text: showing

text: up

text: at

text: violent

text: crime

text: scenes

text: in

text: Mexico

text: that

text: federal

text: investigators

text: started

text: piecing

text: together

text: the

text: magnitude

text: of

text: the

text: case

text: ATF

text: investigators

text: cooperating

text: with

text: Mexican

text: authorities

text: traced

text: the

text: weapons

text: back

text: to

text: various

text: Houston

text: gun

text: shops

text: and

text: started

text: seeing

text: the

text: same

text: names

text: of

text: repeat

text: customers

text: It

text: really

text: surprised

text: us

text: at

text: first

text: that

text: we

text: had

text: this

text: many

text: people

text: linked

text: together

text: said

text: the

text: ATF

text: agent

text: who

text: spoke

text: on

text: condition

text: of

text: anonymity

text: Federal

text: investigators

text: say

text: Hernandez

text: and

text: his

text: men

text: were

text: reimbursed

text: by

text: the

text: cartels

text: for

text: the

text: money

text: spent

text: on

text: the

text: weapons

text: and

text: then

text: paid

text: an

text: extra

text: to

text: for

text: each

text: firearm

text: they

text: supplied

text: The

text: weapons

text: Hernandez

text: purchased

text: himself

text: according

text: to

text: federal

text: court

text: documents

text: were

text: used

text: in

text: the

text: kidnapping

text: and

text: murder

text: of

text: a

text: prominent

text: Mexican

text: businessman

text: Another

text: group

text: of

text: weapons

text: turned

text: up

text: in

text: a

text: shooting

text: known

text: as

text: the

text: Acapulco

text: Massacre

text: in

text: Seven

text: people

text: were

text: slaughtered

text: that

text: day

text: including

text: four

text: police

text: officers

text: ATF

text: agents

text: say

text: breaking

text: up

text: these

text: networks

text: of

text: straw

text: purchasers

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: is

text: a

text: key

text: battlefront

text: in

text: the

text: fight

text: against

text: Mexican

text: drug

text: cartels

text: These

text: folks

text: that

text: are

text: out

text: buying

text: these

text: guns

text: they

text: 're

text: just

text: as

text: responsible

text: as

text: the

text: people

text: pulling

text: the

text: trigger

text: and

text: killing

text: people

text: in

text: Mexico

text: said

text: Webb

text: Houston

text: 's

text: top

text: ATF

text: agent

question: What was smuggled to Mexico?

answer: weapons.

text: weapons.

question: Who is doing the smuggling>?

answer: John Phillip Hernandez and a friend

text: John Phillip Hernandez and a friend

question: How many killings were linked to the trafficking scheme?

answer: 55

question: How many people have pled guilty for their roles in the gun scheme?

answer: 11

question: What was smuggled into Mexico?

answer: a quick-firing 7.62-caliber firearm and

text: a quick-firing 7.62-caliber firearm and


text:
(CNN) -- Imagine the entire population of Kentucky forced out of their homes in the past 25 years, with many of the residents moving to a neighboring country.

Displaced children at a camp in El Barrancon, Colombia, earlier this year.

That's what has happened in Colombia, a country of 45 million where up to 4 million people -- roughly the population of Kentucky -- have been forced to flee fighting between government forces and an entrenched Marxist rebel group. So many Colombians have taken flight to escape violence that the nation has the second largest number of internally displaced people in the world -- surpassed only by Sudan in Africa.

Oftentimes, the violence is not incidental.

"Violence against civilians is a strategy of war for all the parties involved in the warfare," said Ellen Beattie, who worked for relief agencies in Colombia for 15 years. "That's the problem. They do it on purpose. They use it as a strategy. Vicious."

Exact figures are hard to come by.

Reliefweb, a United Nations Web site that provides information to humanitarian relief organizations, says nearly 400,000 Colombians were displaced last year. The Colombian government puts the number of displaced at 255,000 for 2008.

Likewise, the Colombian government says nearly 3 million citizens have been displaced inside the country in the past few decades. But the non-governmental Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacements, known in Colombia as CODHES, estimates more than 4 million people have had to leave their homes since the 1980s.

Mauricio de Vengoechea, a political analyst with the Newlink Group consulting firm, says about 200,000 Colombians have ended up in Ecuador, which has granted 5,500 residency permits in the past eight weeks.

At the heart of the violence lies a guerrilla war with the Colombian government and paramilitary groups on one side and the FARC, which is the Spanish acronym for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, on the other. The FARC has been waging war against the government since the 1960s and has major strongholds in the jungles of southwest Colombia, near the 366-mile (590-kilometer) border with Ecuador.

Narcotraffickers also have strongholds in the area and are often allied with the FARC, who provide security and intelligence. Many times the rebels and the narcotraffickers are one and the same. The guerrillas use drug money to buy weapons.

"There are large parts of Colombia where the state has no presence, no police, no army, nothing," said Myles Frechette, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia from 1994 to 1997. "That's where the narcotraffickers hang out."

That makes it valuable territory for the guerrillas and narcos, said Beattie, executive director of the International Rescue Committee office in Atlanta, Georgia.

"They're more willing to fight over land that is strategic," she said. "You've poured gasoline on the fire with that."

As the army, paramilitaries and the guerrillas fight for territory -- often retaking land one side or the other had held before -- the civilian population gets caught in the middle. When one side comes in, Beattie said, everyone living in the area is suspected of having collaborated with the enemy. That sometimes leads to massacres, or at least kidnappings and death threats.

"The majority of displacements in Colombia are not because of combat, but because people are directly threatened," said Gustavo Valdivieso, spokesman in Colombia for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "They are told, 'Leave or be killed.'"

Many times, indigenous populations in far-flung places suffer the most.

That's what happened earlier this year to the Awa tribe in southwest Colombia. The FARC admitted in an Internet statement that guerrillas "executed" eight people February 6 in the town of Rio Bravo because the rebels believed the Indians were gathering information to give to the Colombian military.

The Human Rights Watch organization said the guerrillas tortured some of the Awa before killing them with knives.

Luis Evelis Andrade of the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia said the FARC had targeted the Awa because the Indians don't want to get involved in the armed struggle and refuse to reveal information on government troop actions. He said the FARC had abducted 120 Awa in February and killed 44.

"We are very worried about the Awa community," said Monsignor Gustavo Giron Higuita, the bishop of the city of Tumaco. "It is a community that is pretty unprotected and that in the past five years has received a type of persecution by armed groups."

The Colombian government has issued a "risk report" warning that civilians in the region are in danger, and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees proclaimed an alert this week about threats against human rights workers.

A U.N. report notes that displacement disproportionately affects Colombia's poorest citizens, and their lives get worse after they are forced to flee. One of every two displaced Colombians is unemployed and a similar number live in makeshift homes made of cloth, cardboard or wood, says the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. More than three-fourths of children who leave school after being displaced never return.

Then there's the issue of forced conscription. According to Reliefweb, between 12,000 and 14,000 minors have been forced to join armed groups.

Valdivieso, the U.N. spokesman in Colombia, notes that displaced residents have lost about 15 million acres (6 million hectares). That's an area about the size of West Virginia.

"You have displaced people living in hunger in the cities of Colombia while they still have property," Valdivieso said.

Displacement occurs when people move within a country. When they leave the country, they become refugees.

The problem occurs among all segments of Colombian society. The political class is often hit hard.

Ramiro Echeverri was among 12 regional lawmakers the FARC kidnapped on April 11, 2002, in Cali, Colombia's third-largest city. The rebels killed him and 10 others on June 18, 2007, when a Colombian army patrol came upon the camp in which the hostages were being held. When the bodies were recovered three months later, autopsies showed most had been shot several times in the back.

Echeverri's son, also named Ramiro, was a doctor in Cali at the time.

"We buried him and the next day we left the country," he said.

He, his wife and younger sister first went to Ecuador, where they lived for two months before securing passage to Atlanta, where he works as a neurological researcher for the Emory University School of Medicine. His mother stayed behind but visits often, especially after the birth of her granddaughter, Rafaela, four months ago.

Echeverri, 28, has been in the United States for 16 months but still harbors hopes to return.

"Of course," he said. "It is a very good country. I believe there will be a solution. Once there is, I will go back."

Atlanta resident Ibonne Pinilla Martinez, 25, tells a similar story. Her father was a politician in Palmira, in southwest Colombia about 17 miles east of Cali. He started receiving threats and some colleagues were kidnapped.

They first moved around inside Colombia, living in three cities over a two-year period. She, her parents and a younger sister then lived in Costa Rica for five years before moving to Atlanta two years ago, the soft-spoken Pinilla said.

"There is always fear when someone makes threats," she said.

She, too, holds expectations of returning some day.

"We will wait for the right time and for all that to end," Pinilla said.

Many refugees end up in Ecuador because it's the nearest country to the killing fields of southwestern Colombia. Some are forced there by the fighting.

"Over the course of the past five years, the FARC has been pushed back into Colombia's less densely populated jungle regions and across the Ecuadorian border," said Patrick Esteruelas, an analyst with the Eurasia Group consulting firm. "More and more citizens in southern Colombia have been forced out and had nowhere else to go but Ecuador."

Beattie, the aid agency official, has noticed the same phenomena.

"The Colombians go across where the violence pushes them that way," she said. "Often, that's the only direction they can go."

Ecuador has started incorporating the displaced Colombians, giving residency status to 5,500 in the past few weeks. That may seem surprising, given the poor standing between the countries.

Ecuador broke diplomatic relations with Colombia in March 2008 and amassed troops along the border after a Colombian military attack against a FARC camp inside Ecuador. The attack killed 25 people, including rebel leader Raul Reyes, four Mexicans and an Ecuadorian.

No country in the area is afraid of Ecuador, says Frechette, the former U.S. ambassador. Neither is the FARC.

"Ecuador is a very weak state. It's lost 60 percent of its territory since its independence (in 1822)," he said. "Ecuador is a little guy who gets pushed around by everybody."

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa used the tension to forge national unity when he successfully ran for re-election in April 2009, said Vengoechea.

"It was more convenient for President Correa to be an enemy of Colombia than a friend of Colombia," Vengoechea said.

"Now both sides have been trying to find common points to restore diplomatic relationships," Esteruelas said. The issue of residency visas, he said, "is one such point."

Ecuador also may have felt the need to do something about the FARC.

"Ecuadorians are also under a lot of pressure since allegations that the FARC was coming across the border and Ecuador has been looking the other way," said Esteruelas. "Ecuador is under pressure to register all Colombian immigrants coming in to prevent Colombian rebels from coming into Ecuador unregistered and unnoticed."

text: CNN

text: Imagine

text: the

text: entire

text: population

text: of

text: Kentucky

text: forced

text: out

text: of

text: their

text: homes

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: years

text: with

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: residents

text: moving

text: to

text: a

text: neighboring

text: country

text: Displaced

text: children

text: at

text: a

text: camp

text: in

text: El

text: Barrancon

text: Colombia

text: earlier

text: this

text: year

text: That

text: 's

text: what

text: has

text: happened

text: in

text: Colombia

text: a

text: country

text: of

text: million

text: where

text: up

text: to

text: million

text: people

text: roughly

text: the

text: population

text: of

text: Kentucky

text: have

text: been

text: forced

text: to

text: flee

text: fighting

text: between

text: government

text: forces

text: and

text: an

text: entrenched

text: Marxist

text: rebel

text: group

text: So

text: many

text: Colombians

text: have

text: taken

text: flight

text: to

text: escape

text: violence

text: that

text: the

text: nation

text: has

text: the

text: second

text: largest

text: number

text: of

text: internally

text: displaced

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: surpassed

text: only

text: by

text: Sudan

text: in

text: Africa

text: Oftentimes

text: the

text: violence

text: is

text: not

text: incidental

text: Violence

text: against

text: civilians

text: is

text: a

text: strategy

text: of

text: war

text: for

text: all

text: the

text: parties

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: warfare

text: said

text: Ellen

text: Beattie

text: who

text: worked

text: for

text: relief

text: agencies

text: in

text: Colombia

text: for

text: years

text: That

text: 's

text: the

text: problem

text: They

text: do

text: it

text: on

text: purpose

text: They

text: use

text: it

text: as

text: a

text: strategy

text: Vicious

text: Exact

text: figures

text: are

text: hard

text: to

text: come

text: by

text: Reliefweb

text: a

text: United

text: Nations

text: Web

text: site

text: that

text: provides

text: information

text: to

text: humanitarian

text: relief

text: organizations

text: says

text: nearly

text: Colombians

text: were

text: displaced

text: last

text: year

text: The

text: Colombian

text: government

text: puts

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: displaced

text: at

text: for

text: Likewise

text: the

text: Colombian

text: government

text: says

text: nearly

text: million

text: citizens

text: have

text: been

text: displaced

text: inside

text: the

text: country

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: decades

text: But

text: the

text: non

text: governmental

text: Consultancy

text: for

text: Human

text: Rights

text: and

text: Displacements

text: known

text: in

text: Colombia

text: as

text: CODHES

text: estimates

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: people

text: have

text: had

text: to

text: leave

text: their

text: homes

text: since

text: the

text: Mauricio

text: de

text: Vengoechea

text: a

text: political

text: analyst

text: with

text: the

text: Newlink

text: Group

text: consulting

text: firm

text: says

text: about

text: Colombians

text: have

text: ended

text: up

text: in

text: Ecuador

text: which

text: has

text: granted

text: residency

text: permits

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: eight

text: weeks

text: At

text: the

text: heart

text: of

text: the

text: violence

text: lies

text: a

text: guerrilla

text: war

text: with

text: the

text: Colombian

text: government

text: and

text: paramilitary

text: groups

text: on

text: one

text: side

text: and

text: the

text: FARC

text: which

text: is

text: the

text: Spanish

text: acronym

text: for

text: Revolutionary

text: Armed

text: Forces

text: of

text: Colombia

text: on

text: the

text: other

text: The

text: FARC

text: has

text: been

text: waging

text: war

text: against

text: the

text: government

text: since

text: the

text: and

text: has

text: major

text: strongholds

text: in

text: the

text: jungles

text: of

text: southwest

text: Colombia

text: near

text: the

text: border

text: with

text: Ecuador

text: Narcotraffickers

text: also

text: have

text: strongholds

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: and

text: are

text: often

text: allied

text: with

text: the

text: FARC

text: who

text: provide

text: security

text: and

text: intelligence

text: Many

text: times

text: the

text: rebels

text: and

text: the

text: narcotraffickers

text: are

text: one

text: and

text: the

text: same

text: The

text: guerrillas

text: use

text: drug

text: money

text: to

text: buy

text: weapons

text: There

text: are

text: large

text: parts

text: of

text: Colombia

text: where

text: the

text: state

text: has

text: no

text: presence

text: no

text: police

text: no

text: army

text: nothing

text: said

text: Myles

text: Frechette

text: the

text: U.S.

text: ambassador

text: to

text: Colombia

text: from

text: to

text: That

text: 's

text: where

text: the

text: narcotraffickers

text: hang

text: out

text: That

text: makes

text: it

text: valuable

text: territory

text: for

text: the

text: guerrillas

text: and

text: narcos

text: said

text: Beattie

text: executive

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: International

text: Rescue

text: Committee

text: office

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: They

text: 're

text: more

text: willing

text: to

text: fight

text: over

text: land

text: that

text: is

text: strategic

text: she

text: said

text: You

text: 've

text: poured

text: gasoline

text: on

text: the

text: fire

text: with

text: that

text: As

text: the

text: army

text: paramilitaries

text: and

text: the

text: guerrillas

text: fight

text: for

text: territory

text: often

text: retaking

text: land

text: one

text: side

text: or

text: the

text: other

text: had

text: held

text: before

text: the

text: civilian

text: population

text: gets

text: caught

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: When

text: one

text: side

text: comes

text: in

text: Beattie

text: said

text: everyone

text: living

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: is

text: suspected

text: of

text: having

text: collaborated

text: with

text: the

text: enemy

text: That

text: sometimes

text: leads

text: to

text: massacres

text: or

text: at

text: least

text: kidnappings

text: and

text: death

text: threats

text: The

text: majority

text: of

text: displacements

text: in

text: Colombia

text: are

text: not

text: because

text: of

text: combat

text: but

text: because

text: people

text: are

text: directly

text: threatened

text: said

text: Gustavo

text: Valdivieso

text: spokesman

text: in

text: Colombia

text: for

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: High

text: Commissioner

text: for

text: Refugees

text: They

text: are

text: told

text: Leave

text: or

text: be

text: killed

text: Many

text: times

text: indigenous

text: populations

text: in

text: far

text: flung

text: places

text: suffer

text: the

text: most

text: That

text: 's

text: what

text: happened

text: earlier

text: this

text: year

text: to

text: the

text: Awa

text: tribe

text: in

text: southwest

text: Colombia

text: The

text: FARC

text: admitted

text: in

text: an

text: Internet

text: statement

text: that

text: guerrillas

text: executed

text: eight

text: people

text: February

text: in

text: the

text: town

text: of

text: Rio

text: Bravo

text: because

text: the

text: rebels

text: believed

text: the

text: Indians

text: were

text: gathering

text: information

text: to

text: give

text: to

text: the

text: Colombian

text: military

text: The

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Watch

text: organization

text: said

text: the

text: guerrillas

text: tortured

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: Awa

text: before

text: killing

text: them

text: with

text: knives

text: Luis

text: Evelis

text: Andrade

text: of

text: the

text: National

text: Indigenous

text: Organization

text: of

text: Colombia

text: said

text: the

text: FARC

text: had

text: targeted

text: the

text: Awa

text: because

text: the

text: Indians

text: do

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: get

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: armed

text: struggle

text: and

text: refuse

text: to

text: reveal

text: information

text: on

text: government

text: troop

text: actions

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: FARC

text: had

text: abducted

text: Awa

text: in

text: February

text: and

text: killed

text: We

text: are

text: very

text: worried

text: about

text: the

text: Awa

text: community

text: said

text: Monsignor

text: Gustavo

text: Giron

text: Higuita

text: the

text: bishop

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: of

text: Tumaco

text: It

text: is

text: a

text: community

text: that

text: is

text: pretty

text: unprotected

text: and

text: that

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: five

text: years

text: has

text: received

text: a

text: type

text: of

text: persecution

text: by

text: armed

text: groups

text: The

text: Colombian

text: government

text: has

text: issued

text: a

text: risk

text: report

text: warning

text: that

text: civilians

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: are

text: in

text: danger

text: and

text: the

text: U.N.

text: High

text: Commissioner

text: for

text: Refugees

text: proclaimed

text: an

text: alert

text: this

text: week

text: about

text: threats

text: against

text: human

text: rights

text: workers

text: A

text: U.N.

text: report

text: notes

text: that

text: displacement

text: disproportionately

text: affects

text: Colombia

text: 's

text: poorest

text: citizens

text: and

text: their

text: lives

text: get

text: worse

text: after

text: they

text: are

text: forced

text: to

text: flee

text: One

text: of

text: every

text: two

text: displaced

text: Colombians

text: is

text: unemployed

text: and

text: a

text: similar

text: number

text: live

text: in

text: makeshift

text: homes

text: made

text: of

text: cloth

text: cardboard

text: or

text: wood

text: says

text: the

text: Office

text: of

text: the

text: U.N.

text: High

text: Commissioner

text: for

text: Refugees

text: More

text: than

text: three

text: fourths

text: of

text: children

text: who

text: leave

text: school

text: after

text: being

text: displaced

text: never

text: return

text: Then

text: there

text: 's

text: the

text: issue

text: of

text: forced

text: conscription

text: According

text: to

text: Reliefweb

text: between

text: and

text: minors

text: have

text: been

text: forced

text: to

text: join

text: armed

text: groups

text: Valdivieso

text: the

text: U.N.

text: spokesman

text: in

text: Colombia

text: notes

text: that

text: displaced

text: residents

text: have

text: lost

text: about

text: million

text: acres

text: million

text: hectares

text: That

text: 's

text: an

text: area

text: about

text: the

text: size

text: of

text: West

text: Virginia

text: You

text: have

text: displaced

text: people

text: living

text: in

text: hunger

text: in

text: the

text: cities

text: of

text: Colombia

text: while

text: they

text: still

text: have

text: property

text: Valdivieso

text: said

text: Displacement

text: occurs

text: when

text: people

text: move

text: within

text: a

text: country

text: When

text: they

text: leave

text: the

text: country

text: they

text: become

text: refugees

text: The

text: problem

text: occurs

text: among

text: all

text: segments

text: of

text: Colombian

text: society

text: The

text: political

text: class

text: is

text: often

text: hit

text: hard

text: Ramiro

text: Echeverri

text: was

text: among

text: regional

text: lawmakers

text: the

text: FARC

text: kidnapped

text: on

text: April

text: in

text: Cali

text: Colombia

text: 's

text: third

text: largest

text: city

text: The

text: rebels

text: killed

text: him

text: and

text: others

text: on

text: June

text: when

text: a

text: Colombian

text: army

text: patrol

text: came

text: upon

text: the

text: camp

text: in

text: which

text: the

text: hostages

text: were

text: being

text: held

text: When

text: the

text: bodies

text: were

text: recovered

text: three

text: months

text: later

text: autopsies

text: showed

text: most

text: had

text: been

text: shot

text: several

text: times

text: in

text: the

text: back

text: Echeverri

text: 's

text: son

text: also

text: named

text: Ramiro

text: was

text: a

text: doctor

text: in

text: Cali

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: We

text: buried

text: him

text: and

text: the

text: next

text: day

text: we

text: left

text: the

text: country

text: he

text: said

text: He

text: his

text: wife

text: and

text: younger

text: sister

text: first

text: went

text: to

text: Ecuador

text: where

text: they

text: lived

text: for

text: two

text: months

text: before

text: securing

text: passage

text: to

text: Atlanta

text: where

text: he

text: works

text: as

text: a

text: neurological

text: researcher

text: for

text: the

text: Emory

text: University

text: School

text: of

text: Medicine

text: His

text: mother

text: stayed

text: behind

text: but

text: visits

text: often

text: especially

text: after

text: the

text: birth

text: of

text: her

text: granddaughter

text: Rafaela

text: four

text: months

text: ago

text: Echeverri

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: for

text: months

text: but

text: still

text: harbors

text: hopes

text: to

text: return

text: Of

text: course

text: he

text: said

text: It

text: is

text: a

text: very

text: good

text: country

text: I

text: believe

text: there

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: solution

text: Once

text: there

text: is

text: I

text: will

text: go

text: back

text: Atlanta

text: resident

text: Ibonne

text: Pinilla

text: Martinez

text: tells

text: a

text: similar

text: story

text: Her

text: father

text: was

text: a

text: politician

text: in

text: Palmira

text: in

text: southwest

text: Colombia

text: about

text: miles

text: east

text: of

text: Cali

text: He

text: started

text: receiving

text: threats

text: and

text: some

text: colleagues

text: were

text: kidnapped

text: They

text: first

text: moved

text: around

text: inside

text: Colombia

text: living

text: in

text: three

text: cities

text: over

text: a

text: two

text: year

text: period

text: She

text: her

text: parents

text: and

text: a

text: younger

text: sister

text: then

text: lived

text: in

text: Costa

text: Rica

text: for

text: five

text: years

text: before

text: moving

text: to

text: Atlanta

text: two

text: years

text: ago

text: the

text: soft

text: spoken

text: Pinilla

text: said

text: There

text: is

text: always

text: fear

text: when

text: someone

text: makes

text: threats

text: she

text: said

text: She

text: too

text: holds

text: expectations

text: of

text: returning

text: some

text: day

text: We

text: will

text: wait

text: for

text: the

text: right

text: time

text: and

text: for

text: all

text: that

text: to

text: end

text: Pinilla

text: said

text: Many

text: refugees

text: end

text: up

text: in

text: Ecuador

text: because

text: it

text: 's

text: the

text: nearest

text: country

text: to

text: the

text: killing

text: fields

text: of

text: southwestern

text: Colombia

text: Some

text: are

text: forced

text: there

text: by

text: the

text: fighting

text: Over

text: the

text: course

text: of

text: the

text: past

text: five

text: years

text: the

text: FARC

text: has

text: been

text: pushed

text: back

text: into

text: Colombia

text: 's

text: less

text: densely

text: populated

text: jungle

text: regions

text: and

text: across

text: the

text: Ecuadorian

text: border

text: said

text: Patrick

text: Esteruelas

text: an

text: analyst

text: with

text: the

text: Eurasia

text: Group

text: consulting

text: firm

text: More

text: and

text: more

text: citizens

text: in

text: southern

text: Colombia

text: have

text: been

text: forced

text: out

text: and

text: had

text: nowhere

text: else

text: to

text: go

text: but

text: Ecuador

text: Beattie

text: the

text: aid

text: agency

text: official

text: has

text: noticed

text: the

text: same

text: phenomena

text: The

text: Colombians

text: go

text: across

text: where

text: the

text: violence

text: pushes

text: them

text: that

text: way

text: she

text: said

text: Often

text: that

text: 's

text: the

text: only

text: direction

text: they

text: can

text: go

text: Ecuador

text: has

text: started

text: incorporating

text: the

text: displaced

text: Colombians

text: giving

text: residency

text: status

text: to

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: weeks

text: That

text: may

text: seem

text: surprising

text: given

text: the

text: poor

text: standing

text: between

text: the

text: countries

text: Ecuador

text: broke

text: diplomatic

text: relations

text: with

text: Colombia

text: in

text: March

text: and

text: amassed

text: troops

text: along

text: the

text: border

text: after

text: a

text: Colombian

text: military

text: attack

text: against

text: a

text: FARC

text: camp

text: inside

text: Ecuador

text: The

text: attack

text: killed

text: people

text: including

text: rebel

text: leader

text: Raul

text: Reyes

text: four

text: Mexicans

text: and

text: an

text: Ecuadorian

text: No

text: country

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: is

text: afraid

text: of

text: Ecuador

text: says

text: Frechette

text: the

text: former

text: U.S.

text: ambassador

text: Neither

text: is

text: the

text: FARC

text: Ecuador

text: is

text: a

text: very

text: weak

text: state

text: It

text: 's

text: lost

text: percent

text: of

text: its

text: territory

text: since

text: its

text: independence

text: in

text: he

text: said

text: Ecuador

text: is

text: a

text: little

text: guy

text: who

text: gets

text: pushed

text: around

text: by

text: everybody

text: Ecuadorian

text: President

text: Rafael

text: Correa

text: used

text: the

text: tension

text: to

text: forge

text: national

text: unity

text: when

text: he

text: successfully

text: ran

text: for

text: re

text: election

text: in

text: April

text: said

text: Vengoechea

text: It

text: was

text: more

text: convenient

text: for

text: President

text: Correa

text: to

text: be

text: an

text: enemy

text: of

text: Colombia

text: than

text: a

text: friend

text: of

text: Colombia

text: Vengoechea

text: said

text: Now

text: both

text: sides

text: have

text: been

text: trying

text: to

text: find

text: common

text: points

text: to

text: restore

text: diplomatic

text: relationships

text: Esteruelas

text: said

text: The

text: issue

text: of

text: residency

text: visas

text: he

text: said

text: is

text: one

text: such

text: point

text: Ecuador

text: also

text: may

text: have

text: felt

text: the

text: need

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: about

text: the

text: FARC

text: Ecuadorians

text: are

text: also

text: under

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: pressure

text: since

text: allegations

text: that

text: the

text: FARC

text: was

text: coming

text: across

text: the

text: border

text: and

text: Ecuador

text: has

text: been

text: looking

text: the

text: other

text: way

text: said

text: Esteruelas

text: Ecuador

text: is

text: under

text: pressure

text: to

text: register

text: all

text: Colombian

text: immigrants

text: coming

text: in

text: to

text: prevent

text: Colombian

text: rebels

text: from

text: coming

text: into

text: Ecuador

text: unregistered

text: and

text: unnoticed

question: What the worker said?

answer: "Violence against civilians is a strategy of war for all the parties involved in the warfare,"

text: "Violence against civilians is a strategy of war for all the parties involved in the warfare,"

question: What is the opinion of rescuer?

answer: "Violence against civilians is a strategy of war for all the parties involved in the warfare,"

text: "Violence against civilians is a strategy of war for all the parties involved in the warfare,"

question: which occurred between the government and the Colombian guerrillas?

answer: war

text: war

question: How long did civilians stay in a strategy of war?

answer: 25 years,

text: 25 years,


text:
Washington (CNN) -- More than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement personnel have been assigned to an operation intended to find who was responsible for Saturday's fatal shootings of three people linked to the U.S. consulate in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, an official said.

Among the agencies involved in Operation Knock Down -- taking place in southern New Mexico and in the vicinity of El Paso, Texas -- are the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, said DEA spokesman David Ausiello.

El Paso is across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez.

A law enforcement official said investigators believe that there could be a connection between Barrio Azteca, a gang that operates in both cities, and the killings. The official said that mistaken identity has not been ruled out.

A relative of U.S. consulate worker Lesley Ann Enriquez said Wednesday that the 35-year-old woman was four months pregnant with a boy when she was shot dead. Enriquez's husband, 34-year-old Arthur Redelfs, was also killed. He was a 10-year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

The couple was fired on in their SUV as they left a birthday party at the U.S. consulate. Their 7-month-old daughter, Rebecca, who was in the back of the SUV, was unhurt.

A third victim, who had also left the party, was identified as Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, 37, a state police officer who was married to a Mexican employee of the U.S. consulate.

His wife was not traveling with him, but two of their children, ages 4 and 7, were in the car and were wounded, officials said.

"We have all come together to find Barrio Azteca members as part of a major intelligence effort," said Andrea Simmons, a public information officer for the FBI in El Paso.

In addition to the FBI and the DEA, other organizations involved are the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

"Part of this is being done to generate leads regarding the ongoing investigation in Juarez as well as an opportunity to gather information on the location of Eduardo Ravelo, one of the top 10 fugitives," she said.

The FBI is offering $100,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ravelo, who is accused of being a leader of Barrio Azteca.

This week, Mexican President Felipe Calderon made his third visit in slightly more than a month to Ciudad Juarez. Its more than 2,600 drug-related deaths last year made it the most violent city in Mexico.

No official numbers are available, but more than 400 killings have been reported in local media this year.

CNN's Arthur Brice contributed to this story.

text: Washington

text: CNN

text: More

text: than

text: federal

text: state

text: and

text: local

text: law

text: enforcement

text: personnel

text: have

text: been

text: assigned

text: to

text: an

text: operation

text: intended

text: to

text: find

text: who

text: was

text: responsible

text: for

text: Saturday

text: 's

text: fatal

text: shootings

text: of

text: three

text: people

text: linked

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: consulate

text: in

text: Cuidad

text: Juarez

text: Mexico

text: an

text: official

text: said

text: Among

text: the

text: agencies

text: involved

text: in

text: Operation

text: Knock

text: Down

text: taking

text: place

text: in

text: southern

text: New

text: Mexico

text: and

text: in

text: the

text: vicinity

text: of

text: El

text: Paso

text: Texas

text: are

text: the

text: FBI

text: and

text: the

text: Drug

text: Enforcement

text: Administration

text: said

text: DEA

text: spokesman

text: David

text: Ausiello

text: El

text: Paso

text: is

text: across

text: the

text: Rio

text: Grande

text: from

text: Ciudad

text: Juarez

text: A

text: law

text: enforcement

text: official

text: said

text: investigators

text: believe

text: that

text: there

text: could

text: be

text: a

text: connection

text: between

text: Barrio

text: Azteca

text: a

text: gang

text: that

text: operates

text: in

text: both

text: cities

text: and

text: the

text: killings

text: The

text: official

text: said

text: that

text: mistaken

text: identity

text: has

text: not

text: been

text: ruled

text: out

text: A

text: relative

text: of

text: U.S.

text: consulate

text: worker

text: Lesley

text: Ann

text: Enriquez

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: the

text: old

text: woman

text: was

text: four

text: months

text: pregnant

text: with

text: a

text: boy

text: when

text: she

text: was

text: shot

text: dead

text: Enriquez

text: 's

text: husband

text: old

text: Arthur

text: Redelfs

text: was

text: also

text: killed

text: He

text: was

text: a

text: veteran

text: of

text: the

text: El

text: Paso

text: County

text: Sheriff

text: 's

text: Office

text: The

text: couple

text: was

text: fired

text: on

text: in

text: their

text: SUV

text: as

text: they

text: left

text: a

text: birthday

text: party

text: at

text: the

text: U.S.

text: consulate

text: Their

text: old

text: daughter

text: Rebecca

text: who

text: was

text: in

text: the

text: back

text: of

text: the

text: SUV

text: was

text: unhurt

text: A

text: third

text: victim

text: who

text: had

text: also

text: left

text: the

text: party

text: was

text: identified

text: as

text: Jorge

text: Alberto

text: Salcido

text: Ceniceros

text: a

text: state

text: police

text: officer

text: who

text: was

text: married

text: to

text: a

text: Mexican

text: employee

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: consulate

text: His

text: wife

text: was

text: not

text: traveling

text: with

text: him

text: but

text: two

text: of

text: their

text: children

text: ages

text: and

text: were

text: in

text: the

text: car

text: and

text: were

text: wounded

text: officials

text: said

text: We

text: have

text: all

text: come

text: together

text: to

text: find

text: Barrio

text: Azteca

text: members

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: major

text: intelligence

text: effort

text: said

text: Andrea

text: Simmons

text: a

text: public

text: information

text: officer

text: for

text: the

text: FBI

text: in

text: El

text: Paso

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: the

text: FBI

text: and

text: the

text: DEA

text: other

text: organizations

text: involved

text: are

text: the

text: Immigration

text: and

text: Customs

text: Enforcement

text: U.S.

text: Customs

text: and

text: Border

text: Protection

text: the

text: El

text: Paso

text: Police

text: Department

text: the

text: El

text: Paso

text: County

text: Sheriff

text: 's

text: Office

text: and

text: the

text: Texas

text: Department

text: of

text: Public

text: Safety

text: Part

text: of

text: this

text: is

text: being

text: done

text: to

text: generate

text: leads

text: regarding

text: the

text: ongoing

text: investigation

text: in

text: Juarez

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: an

text: opportunity

text: to

text: gather

text: information

text: on

text: the

text: location

text: of

text: Eduardo

text: Ravelo

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: top

text: fugitives

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: FBI

text: is

text: offering

text: for

text: information

text: leading

text: to

text: the

text: arrest

text: of

text: Ravelo

text: who

text: is

text: accused

text: of

text: being

text: a

text: leader

text: of

text: Barrio

text: Azteca

text: This

text: week

text: Mexican

text: President

text: Felipe

text: Calderon

text: made

text: his

text: third

text: visit

text: in

text: slightly

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: month

text: to

text: Ciudad

text: Juarez

text: Its

text: more

text: than

text: drug

text: related

text: deaths

text: last

text: year

text: made

text: it

text: the

text: most

text: violent

text: city

text: in

text: Mexico

text: No

text: official

text: numbers

text: are

text: available

text: but

text: more

text: than

text: killings

text: have

text: been

text: reported

text: in

text: local

text: media

text: this

text: year

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Arthur

text: Brice

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: story

question: what is investigated

answer: Saturday's fatal shootings of three people linked to the U.S. consulate

text: Saturday's fatal shootings of three people linked to the U.S. consulate

question: how many people involved

answer: More than 200

text: More than 200

question: What is it that hundreds of law enforcement officers where assigned to

answer: an operation intended to find who was responsible for Saturday's fatal shootings of three people linked to the U.S. consulate in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico,

text: an operation intended to find who was responsible for Saturday's fatal shootings of three people linked to the U.S. consulate in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico,

question: where is the operation going down

answer: southern New Mexico and in the vicinity of El Paso, Texas

text: southern New Mexico and in the vicinity of El Paso, Texas

question: what is the operation

answer: to find who was responsible for Saturday's fatal shootings of three people

text: to find who was responsible for Saturday's fatal shootings of three people

question: To which gang are possible links being investigated

answer: Barrio Azteca,

text: Barrio Azteca,

question: how many law enforcement

answer: More than 200

text: More than 200

question: Three people where killed on Saturday in which city

answer: Cuidad Juarez, Mexico,

text: Cuidad Juarez, Mexico,


text:
(CNN) -- Wiping tears from his cheeks, a man who survived avalanches that killed eight snowmobilers in western Canada said Wednesday that he and two others tried to save their friends but eventually left the mountain because of the threat of more slides.

Jeffrey Adams says he freed himself and helped free two others before making a "gut-wrenching" decision to leave.

Jeffrey Adams, with his his fiancÃ©e at his side, said he and the two other survivors "did everything we could to try to save" the eight Sunday.

"They died doing what they loved. ... I'm truly sorry to the families that we couldn't find them," Adams said.

Adams described digging himself out after the avalanches struck the group Sunday in British Columbia about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) east of Fernie, a town in the Canadian Rockies about 300 kilometers (186 miles) southwest of Calgary, Alberta.

Both avalanches left him buried but near the surface, he said. He was able to dig himself out, choking on snow, and free a second companion without gloves or gear.  Watch Adams describe digging himself, others out Â»

Adams and six others had been snowmobiling near the base of a mountain when the first avalanche happened, he said. The avalanche buried him for "a minute or two," but he was able to free himself.

He started digging for a companion as another group of four people showed up to help, Adams said. One called 911 on a transmitter.

But then they heard a crack, and a second slide buried all 11 of them, Adams said. Miraculously, he said, only 8 to 10 inches of snow covered him.

"When I opened my eyes, I could see daylight," he said. "I was digging. I managed to get my mouth free. I was already choking. I took a few breaths. After about five minutes of struggling, I got myself out, looked around and realized there wasn't anybody else -- couldn't see any sleds, no gear, nothing."

He yelled for his friends and heard an answer, and he was able to dig out one man, whom he identified as Jeremy. The two were working on freeing a third man, James, when they heard another crack.

"We said, 'Sorry, James, we've got to run,' " Adams remembered tearfully. "As we were running away from James, he was saying, 'Don't leave me here! Don't leave me here!' We kept saying we're sorry. We went off and sat to the side, and the slide never hit us in the area we were in. We just got the snow cloud. We went back in and finally got James out."

But then the three looked around and saw no one. They considered getting the one snowmobile that wasn't struck by the avalanche, but determined that the area was too unsafe.

"That's when we had to make the gut-wrenching decision to leave our eight friends and start walking off the mountain," an emotional Adams said.

The group had walked for about 10 minutes and was thinking of going back, but when he turned to look, "the whole center of the mountain came down" in a fourth avalanche.

"We just decided our best bet was to keep walking," he said. They were hoping for a helicopter in response to the earlier 911 call, he said, and one eventually arrived and picked them up.

Searchers found seven bodies Monday and the eighth Tuesday. Royal Canadian Mounted Police identified the dead as Danny Bjarnason, 28; Kane Rusnak, 30; Warren Rothel, 33; Michael Stier, 20; Len Stier, 45; Blayne Wilson, 26; Kurt Kabel, 28; and Thomas Talarico, 32.

Adams and the other two survivors, James and Jeremy -- whose last names and ages were not given -- suffered minor injuries. One was hospitalized overnight.

"It's hard," Adams said. "I replay it in my head all the time whether it was the right decision or not."

He said he had spoken with the families of most of the other men.

"So far, all of them are supporting our decision to leave," he said. "It was a hard one, to leave eight guys up there."

He described the victims as "good buddies," his voice breaking.

Experts told him the second avalanche hit the group at 150 kph (93 mph), Adams said. He estimated the wall of snow was 15 feet high.

He said members of the group knew the avalanche danger was high, and that's why they weren't climbing the mountain.

Even buried under a few inches of snow, "you don't know what way is up and what is down," he said.

"You can't move. You simply can't move in it," Adams said.

The snowmobilers were from Sparwood, British Columbia. They were in an area called Harvey Pass, which police called "a popular backcountry snowmobile destination."

Sparwood Mayor David Wilks said all the victims were upstanding citizens who worked as businessmen or in coal mines.

The mayor said temperatures were as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit in recent weeks, though the air had warmed to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer temperatures could melt and loosen packed snow, raising the danger of avalanches.

text: CNN

text: Wiping

text: tears

text: from

text: his

text: cheeks

text: a

text: man

text: who

text: survived

text: avalanches

text: that

text: killed

text: eight

text: snowmobilers

text: in

text: western

text: Canada

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: he

text: and

text: two

text: others

text: tried

text: to

text: save

text: their

text: friends

text: but

text: eventually

text: left

text: the

text: mountain

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: threat

text: of

text: more

text: slides

text: Jeffrey

text: Adams

text: says

text: he

text: freed

text: himself

text: and

text: helped

text: free

text: two

text: others

text: before

text: making

text: a

text: gut

text: wrenching

text: decision

text: to

text: leave

text: Jeffrey

text: Adams

text: with

text: his

text: his

text: fiancÃ

text: e

text: at

text: his

text: side

text: said

text: he

text: and

text: the

text: two

text: other

text: survivors

text: did

text: everything

text: we

text: could

text: to

text: try

text: to

text: save

text: the

text: eight

text: Sunday

text: They

text: died

text: doing

text: what

text: they

text: loved

text: I

text: 'm

text: truly

text: sorry

text: to

text: the

text: families

text: that

text: we

text: could

text: n't

text: find

text: them

text: Adams

text: said

text: Adams

text: described

text: digging

text: himself

text: out

text: after

text: the

text: avalanches

text: struck

text: the

text: group

text: Sunday

text: in

text: British

text: Columbia

text: about

text: kilometers

text: miles

text: east

text: of

text: Fernie

text: a

text: town

text: in

text: the

text: Canadian

text: Rockies

text: about

text: kilometers

text: miles

text: southwest

text: of

text: Calgary

text: Alberta

text: Both

text: avalanches

text: left

text: him

text: buried

text: but

text: near

text: the

text: surface

text: he

text: said

text: He

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: dig

text: himself

text: out

text: choking

text: on

text: snow

text: and

text: free

text: a

text: second

text: companion

text: without

text: gloves

text: or

text: gear

text: Watch

text: Adams

text: describe

text: digging

text: himself

text: others

text: out

text: Â

text: Adams

text: and

text: six

text: others

text: had

text: been

text: snowmobiling

text: near

text: the

text: base

text: of

text: a

text: mountain

text: when

text: the

text: first

text: avalanche

text: happened

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: avalanche

text: buried

text: him

text: for

text: a

text: minute

text: or

text: two

text: but

text: he

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: free

text: himself

text: He

text: started

text: digging

text: for

text: a

text: companion

text: as

text: another

text: group

text: of

text: four

text: people

text: showed

text: up

text: to

text: help

text: Adams

text: said

text: One

text: called

text: on

text: a

text: transmitter

text: But

text: then

text: they

text: heard

text: a

text: crack

text: and

text: a

text: second

text: slide

text: buried

text: all

text: of

text: them

text: Adams

text: said

text: Miraculously

text: he

text: said

text: only

text: to

text: inches

text: of

text: snow

text: covered

text: him

text: When

text: I

text: opened

text: my

text: eyes

text: I

text: could

text: see

text: daylight

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: was

text: digging

text: I

text: managed

text: to

text: get

text: my

text: mouth

text: free

text: I

text: was

text: already

text: choking

text: I

text: took

text: a

text: few

text: breaths

text: After

text: about

text: five

text: minutes

text: of

text: struggling

text: I

text: got

text: myself

text: out

text: looked

text: around

text: and

text: realized

text: there

text: was

text: n't

text: anybody

text: else

text: could

text: n't

text: see

text: any

text: sleds

text: no

text: gear

text: nothing

text: He

text: yelled

text: for

text: his

text: friends

text: and

text: heard

text: an

text: answer

text: and

text: he

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: dig

text: out

text: one

text: man

text: whom

text: he

text: identified

text: as

text: Jeremy

text: The

text: two

text: were

text: working

text: on

text: freeing

text: a

text: third

text: man

text: James

text: when

text: they

text: heard

text: another

text: crack

text: We

text: said

text: Sorry

text: James

text: we

text: 've

text: got

text: to

text: run

text: Adams

text: remembered

text: tearfully

text: As

text: we

text: were

text: running

text: away

text: from

text: James

text: he

text: was

text: saying

text: Do

text: n't

text: leave

text: me

text: here

text: Do

text: n't

text: leave

text: me

text: here

text: We

text: kept

text: saying

text: we

text: 're

text: sorry

text: We

text: went

text: off

text: and

text: sat

text: to

text: the

text: side

text: and

text: the

text: slide

text: never

text: hit

text: us

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: we

text: were

text: in

text: We

text: just

text: got

text: the

text: snow

text: cloud

text: We

text: went

text: back

text: in

text: and

text: finally

text: got

text: James

text: out

text: But

text: then

text: the

text: three

text: looked

text: around

text: and

text: saw

text: no

text: one

text: They

text: considered

text: getting

text: the

text: one

text: snowmobile

text: that

text: was

text: n't

text: struck

text: by

text: the

text: avalanche

text: but

text: determined

text: that

text: the

text: area

text: was

text: too

text: unsafe

text: That

text: 's

text: when

text: we

text: had

text: to

text: make

text: the

text: gut

text: wrenching

text: decision

text: to

text: leave

text: our

text: eight

text: friends

text: and

text: start

text: walking

text: off

text: the

text: mountain

text: an

text: emotional

text: Adams

text: said

text: The

text: group

text: had

text: walked

text: for

text: about

text: minutes

text: and

text: was

text: thinking

text: of

text: going

text: back

text: but

text: when

text: he

text: turned

text: to

text: look

text: the

text: whole

text: center

text: of

text: the

text: mountain

text: came

text: down

text: in

text: a

text: fourth

text: avalanche

text: We

text: just

text: decided

text: our

text: best

text: bet

text: was

text: to

text: keep

text: walking

text: he

text: said

text: They

text: were

text: hoping

text: for

text: a

text: helicopter

text: in

text: response

text: to

text: the

text: earlier

text: call

text: he

text: said

text: and

text: one

text: eventually

text: arrived

text: and

text: picked

text: them

text: up

text: Searchers

text: found

text: seven

text: bodies

text: Monday

text: and

text: the

text: eighth

text: Tuesday

text: Royal

text: Canadian

text: Mounted

text: Police

text: identified

text: the

text: dead

text: as

text: Danny

text: Bjarnason

text: Kane

text: Rusnak

text: Warren

text: Rothel

text: Michael

text: Stier

text: Len

text: Stier

text: Blayne

text: Wilson

text: Kurt

text: Kabel

text: and

text: Thomas

text: Talarico

text: Adams

text: and

text: the

text: other

text: two

text: survivors

text: James

text: and

text: Jeremy

text: whose

text: last

text: names

text: and

text: ages

text: were

text: not

text: given

text: suffered

text: minor

text: injuries

text: One

text: was

text: hospitalized

text: overnight

text: It

text: 's

text: hard

text: Adams

text: said

text: I

text: replay

text: it

text: in

text: my

text: head

text: all

text: the

text: time

text: whether

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: right

text: decision

text: or

text: not

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: spoken

text: with

text: the

text: families

text: of

text: most

text: of

text: the

text: other

text: men

text: So

text: far

text: all

text: of

text: them

text: are

text: supporting

text: our

text: decision

text: to

text: leave

text: he

text: said

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: hard

text: one

text: to

text: leave

text: eight

text: guys

text: up

text: there

text: He

text: described

text: the

text: victims

text: as

text: good

text: buddies

text: his

text: voice

text: breaking

text: Experts

text: told

text: him

text: the

text: second

text: avalanche

text: hit

text: the

text: group

text: at

text: kph

text: mph

text: Adams

text: said

text: He

text: estimated

text: the

text: wall

text: of

text: snow

text: was

text: feet

text: high

text: He

text: said

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: group

text: knew

text: the

text: avalanche

text: danger

text: was

text: high

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: why

text: they

text: were

text: n't

text: climbing

text: the

text: mountain

text: Even

text: buried

text: under

text: a

text: few

text: inches

text: of

text: snow

text: you

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: way

text: is

text: up

text: and

text: what

text: is

text: down

text: he

text: said

text: You

text: ca

text: n't

text: move

text: You

text: simply

text: ca

text: n't

text: move

text: in

text: it

text: Adams

text: said

text: The

text: snowmobilers

text: were

text: from

text: Sparwood

text: British

text: Columbia

text: They

text: were

text: in

text: an

text: area

text: called

text: Harvey

text: Pass

text: which

text: police

text: called

text: a

text: popular

text: backcountry

text: snowmobile

text: destination

text: Sparwood

text: Mayor

text: David

text: Wilks

text: said

text: all

text: the

text: victims

text: were

text: upstanding

text: citizens

text: who

text: worked

text: as

text: businessmen

text: or

text: in

text: coal

text: mines

text: The

text: mayor

text: said

text: temperatures

text: were

text: as

text: low

text: as

text: minus

text: degrees

text: Fahrenheit

text: in

text: recent

text: weeks

text: though

text: the

text: air

text: had

text: warmed

text: to

text: degrees

text: Fahrenheit

text: The

text: warmer

text: temperatures

text: could

text: melt

text: and

text: loosen

text: packed

text: snow

text: raising

text: the

text: danger

text: of

text: avalanches

question: What number of bodies were found?

answer: d seve

text: d seve

question: How many others did Jeffrey Adams claim to help escape?

answer: two

text: two

question: What days were eight bodies found?

answer: Searchers found seven bodies Monday and the eighth Tuesday

text: Searchers found seven bodies Monday and the eighth Tuesday

question: How many bodies were found on Monday and Tuesday?

answer: d seve

text: d seve

question: What way did the survivors describe the decision to leave?

answer: "gut-wrenching"

text: "gut-wrenching"

question: How many people did the survivor leave behind?

answer: eight

text: eight

question: Who replays the choice in his head all the time?

answer: Jeffrey Adams

text: Jeffrey Adams