Gunmen Stage Coordinated Attack on Mexican Cities, Killing Six

Associated Press

MORELIA, Mexico -- Gunmen boldly attacked federal forces across the western state of Michoacan on Saturday, killing five federal agents and two soldiers after the capture of a suspected drug cartel operative.

Ten other federal agents were wounded in the ambushes.

Convoys of heavily armed gunmen tossed grenades and opened fire on police stations in the state capital of Morelia and in five other cities between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. Saturday. Assailants also shot up a hotel where federal agents were staying in Apatzingan, according to the state attorney general's office.

The attacks were among the boldest frontal offenses carried out against the government. They appeared to be in retaliation for the arrest of Arnoldo Rueda Medina, an alleged member of La Familia drug cartel, which is based in Michoacan.

Mr. Rueda was allegedly in charge of operations under reputed La Familia leaders Nazario Moreno Gonzalez and Jose de Jesus Mendez Vargas, who are both on Mexico's most-wanted list of drug suspects, said federal police coordinator Gen. Rodolfo Cruz.

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