Over 70 federal, state and local police officers in New Mexico carried out search warrants on alleged members of the Aryan Brotherhood, a violent white supremacist prison gang.

The three search warrants, which remain sealed, were executed on January 13, 2005.  They targeted two homes and a motorcycle shop in the Ruidoso area in southern New Mexico.  No arrests have been reported. 

District Attorney Scot Key indicated that local law enforcement recently received an alert from federal authorities about threats directed at the Otero County Sheriff's Department by the Aryan Brotherhood.

Last month, Aryan Brotherhood member Earl L. Flippen fatally shot an Otero County Sheriff's Deputy before being killed by another deputy. 

Otero County Sheriff John Blansett said that he was aware of intelligence suggesting that members of the group may be seeking revenge in response to the incident.  "The rumors coming down the pike are that they are going to do some retaliation," Blansett said.

Aryan Brotherhood activities have increased in New Mexico recently, in part because different factions are battling each other in the state.