San Diego Union Tribune, CA
Aug 21 2004

Mexico deports 2 detainees to US
They were among 8 in group originally from Armenia, Iran

By Anna Cearley
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

MEXICALI – Mexican immigration authorities said yesterday they
deported two men to the United States after detaining a group of
eight people who are originally from Armenia and Iran.

The two men – identified by Mexican authorities as Kirakos Gary and
Gurgen Koshnudyan – are U.S. citizens, according to a press release
issued by the Mexican immigration agency.

A spokeswoman with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said she
hadn’t received official word of the transfer but that U.S.
authorities are interested in getting access to the group’s members.

Baja California state preventive police and Mexican immigration
agents detained the group Thursday in a Mexicali hotel after getting
information from their U.S. counterparts.

Lauren Mack, ICE spokeswoman, said that information was the result of
a coordinated investigation by the Border Patrol, ICE and the FBI.

“U.S. authorities received information that there were a number of
Middle Easterners in the Mexicali area and relayed that to the
appropriate office in Mexicali,” Mack said.

The information “specifically identified the Motel Colonia on Las
Fuentes in Mexicali,” according to a news release from the FBI.

After detaining the group, Mexican authorities initially announced
that some were from Iraq, but yesterday none of the eight were
identified as from that country.

The other six people, including an Iranian man with legal residency
in the United States, have been sent or are being sent to Mexico City
for further investigation and possible deportation, according to
Mexican authorities.

Gary is originally from Armenia, and Koshnudyan is originally from
Iran, according to Mexican authorities.

Middle Easterners are among many groups of people that enter the
United States through Baja California, sometimes to seek asylum. The
United States and Mexico have been working together to prevent the
entry of terrorists into the United States. There is no indication
that any of the eight are suspected terrorists.