Miami-Dade Marine freed from Mexico jail says inmates threatened to behead him

Miami Herald (reg.) ^ | Thursday, 01.03.13 | Tim Johnson

[Olog-hai]

Only days after U.S. Marine veteran Jon Hammar was thrown into a Mexican prison for carrying an antique shotgun into the country, gangsters in the jail warned him of his likely fate—beheading.

“They threw every threat in the book at me,” Hammar said Thursday in his first public remarks since his release Dec. 21 after more than four months in prison.

“They’d cut my head off, they told my family,” he said.

The gangsters demanded money to let Hammar, 27, remain alive, and the beheading threat was a scare tactic that harkened back to his tours of duty as a U.S. Marine in Iraq. …

[Gay State Conservative]

I’ve said this time and time again for years and this case just proves my point....no sane,logical,civilized person should *ever* enter Mexico for *any* reason.

[Olog-hai]

I was reading a Ynet article about Hezbollah’s presence in Mexico (from December 29); apparently there is no telling how many Mexicans have converted to Islam nowadays, due to the efforts of Muslim missionaries that have gone there from Spain (of all countries). The state of Chiapas may end up being the first in Mexico to go from Catholic to Muslim.

[Neoliberalnot]

Typical threats of the obama allies.

[fatnotlazy]

I agree. My brother and sister-in-law vacation in Mexico frequently. You couldn’t pay me to travel there.

[RightOnTheBorder]

In El Paso there is a point coming off the freeway where being in the correct lane guides you to downtown and being in the wrong lane puts you on a road toward the international bridge. The fun part is that it goes around a curve so unless you are familiar with the area you don’t know that you’re heading to the bridge. Even better, once you can see that you are heading to Mexico there is no turn around. Once you get to that point, the US customs want you to enter Mexico and turn around. Many a trucker has been harassed or jailed by Mexico for things like finding bullet casing in the cab. The El Paso solution was to put up a sign after the point of no return that says “No Guns.” Sombody must have told the Google Maps people about this becuase you can’t get a street view of this particular stretch of road.

The point of this rant is that some people get sheperded into Mexico by our inept city and pay dearly for it. Were I to find myself in this situation I would remove my car keyes on the US side and wait for a tow truck to be called. Of course these days I am sure that would be some type of federal offense.

[444Flyer]

Ping. Thank God Jon’s home. Every day he was left in that prison by this administration his life was in terrible jeopardy. Great way to treat a former combat Marine.

[Steve Newton]

Thanks for the Ping.

And yes it was imperative to get out fast.

The administration was SO HELPFUL. /s

[Michael.SF.]

Especially with a shot gun.

[USAF80]

Were I to find myself in this situation I would remove my car keyes on the US side and wait for a tow truck to be called. Of course these days I am sure that would be some type of federal offense.

A friend got stuck on George Washington Bridge in New York when his car broke down. Cops showed up from all over, they even drove down the wrong lanes and surrounded him. His car was smoking from under the hood but they commanded him to stay in the vehicle. he ignored them and opened the hood and found a small fire that he put out. Guess they though it was some type of attack.

[444Flyer]

Steve, I find it even more infuriating that all Jon wanted to do originally is go down to CR and get some R&R and surf to relieve his horrible PTSD symptoms. If only for a few brief moments.

Jon never got that, but look at who is. Hope we enjoy it. Payed for by our tax $$$.

It's good to be king, I guess.

[444Flyer]

originally is go = originally was to go

[JDoutrider]

Where’s a Great White when ya really need one???

[Steve Newton]

Understood my Friend

It’s enough to raise the blood pressure for sure