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Kidnapping of coach in Mexico stirs anger

Armed men kidnapped a famous soccer coach as he left a practice last Tuesday, fanning the anger of supporters of crime victims who say that kidnapping gangs are running amok in Mexico. The brazen abduction made front-page news throughout Mexico, dominated talk radio and led to renewed calls from citizens` groups for tougher measures to stop a wave of abductions that they maintain has made Mexico City one of the leading kidnapping centers in Latin America, even going so far as to label the city as dangerous as any in Colombia.

Coach Ruben Omar Romano had just finished a session with his team, Cruz Azul, at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday when five armed men - traveling in two stolen cars - ambushed him and his driver, trapping his car on a narrow road. Jumping from their cars, the assailants fired at least four shots, then dragged the coach out of his BMW, threw him into one of their vehicles and sped off, law enforcement officials said. Three blocks away the kidnappers transferred Romano to another car and escaped, the Mexico district attorney`s office said. No one was injured during the kidnapping.

Born in Buenos Aires, Romano, 47, has been a popular player and coach in Mexico for many years. He took over Cruz Azul in 2004 and is widely credited with reviving the team`s fortunes last season with the team finishing second in the Mexican Premier Division. He lives with his father, his wife and two children.