Aryan Brotherhood, a particularly violent prison gang, are known to practice "takedown" methods learned in the military

American gang graffiti can be found on Baghdad walls, said Byrne.
When discharged, soldiers armed with knowledge of military weapons and tactics become increasingly effective gang members and more threatening to police. Members of the Aryan Brotherhood, a particularly violent prison gang, are known to practice "takedown" methods learned in the military, said Byrne.
But two "weapons" found in civilian life, cell phones and the Internet, also are proving useful to gangs and their "counterintelligence" tactics directed at police.
"The more information they've got, the stronger they are," said Byrne.
A gang member was caught taking a cell phone picture of a Marysville police officer in Yuba County Superior Court. Threats have been made against officers and their families by gangsters who have home addresses, said Byrne.
The officers "aren't afraid for themselves, but they have wives and kids," he said.
Cell phones also limit the effectiveness of police sweeps aimed at wanted gang members. Once officers enter a neighborhood, word quickly spreads, said Sgt. Allan Garza, head of the Gang Intelligence Unit at the Yuba County Sheriff's Department.