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| Mexico gunmen abduct hotel guests | Mexico gunmen abduct hotel guests |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Armed men have stormed two hotels in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, abducting four guests and as many as three hotel employees, officials say. | Armed men have stormed two hotels in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, abducting four guests and as many as three hotel employees, officials say. |
| Nuevo Leon's state attorney general said up to 30 gunmen had raided the Holiday Inn and Hotel Mision. | |
| The gunmen abducted three businessmen, a female guest and two receptionists. A hotel security guard is also missing. | The gunmen abducted three businessmen, a female guest and two receptionists. A hotel security guard is also missing. |
| The raid follows a surge of violence that has plagued Monterrey, Mexico's industrial capital, in recent weeks. | The raid follows a surge of violence that has plagued Monterrey, Mexico's industrial capital, in recent weeks. |
| Alejandro Garza y Garza, the state attorney general, said organised crime was probably behind the attacks. | Alejandro Garza y Garza, the state attorney general, said organised crime was probably behind the attacks. |
| "A lot of what we're going through right now is part of a readjustment among cartels," Mr Garza y Garza told a news conference. | "A lot of what we're going through right now is part of a readjustment among cartels," Mr Garza y Garza told a news conference. |
| 'Targeted attack' | 'Targeted attack' |
| The attackers appeared to be searching for specific guests when they entered the Holiday Inn hotel in the early hours, the attorney general said. | The attackers appeared to be searching for specific guests when they entered the Holiday Inn hotel in the early hours, the attorney general said. |
| A handcuffed man led the attackers to room 517 on the fifth floor of the 17-floor hotel, where an Asian guest was staying. Realising he was not the man they were looking for, the gunmen continued with their hunt, Mr Garza y Garza said. | |
| Those abducted include three businessmen from Mexico City and a woman from Reynosa, a Mexican city on the US-Mexico border. | Those abducted include three businessmen from Mexico City and a woman from Reynosa, a Mexican city on the US-Mexico border. |
| Mr Garza y Gaza said a private security guard outside the Holiday Inn had clashed with the gunmen. | Mr Garza y Gaza said a private security guard outside the Holiday Inn had clashed with the gunmen. |
| The guard had been reported missing and it was not known if he had been taken by the men, he said. | |
| The attackers also stole a computer that contained security videos and the Holiday Inn's guest registry, Mr Garza y Garza said. | The attackers also stole a computer that contained security videos and the Holiday Inn's guest registry, Mr Garza y Garza said. |
| According to local media reports, the attackers blocked two main avenues leading to the hotel with several hijacked trucks to prevent police from reaching the area. | According to local media reports, the attackers blocked two main avenues leading to the hotel with several hijacked trucks to prevent police from reaching the area. |
| Some analysts suggest initial evidence from the abduction points to the Zetas, a paramilitary group linked to drug trafficking in Monterrey, but the group's exact affiliation remains unknown. | Some analysts suggest initial evidence from the abduction points to the Zetas, a paramilitary group linked to drug trafficking in Monterrey, but the group's exact affiliation remains unknown. |