Nearly 40 gunmen, including a U.S. citizen, are facing various charges in Mexico following a raid at a church training camp where they were allegedly preparing for the end of the world.
The incident took place this week in the town of Vista Hermosa in the Mexican state of Michoacan, where authorities raided a ranch that was being used as a training camp for members of the Luz Del Mundo (Light of the World) church. During the raid, authorities seized various weapons and replicas that the group members were using as part of their training. Some of the replicas included some that appeared to mimic explosive devices.
Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles
According to information released by Michoacan’s Attorney General’s Office, during questioning, the members claimed to be part of the “Jahzer” unit, which they described as the secret enforcement wing of the church that protects high-ranking church officials. The group claimed to be preparing for the end of the world.
Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles
Officials identified a U.S. citizen as one of the group’s leaders. Five of the detained individuals didn’t have any government identification on them.
The location of the raid has raised red flags with Mexican authorities since that area is a hotspot of cartel violence that has a strong presence of Cartel Jalisco New Generation. Various news outlets in Mexico have reported that CJNG has ties to La Luz Del Mundo.
The top leader, La Luz Del Mundo Naason Joaquin Garcia, is currently in U.S. custody facing numerous federal charges, including racketeering, child sex trafficking, and child exploitation. Garcia is also serving a 16-year prison sentence in California for sexual abuse of minors.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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