Mexico murder shows grim face of illegal logging

By Catherine Bremer

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The brazen murder of an environmental activist by illegal loggers who are still free almost a month later has highlighted Mexico's failure to tackle powerful gangs decimating its forests.

Aldo Zamora was gathering information for environmental group Greenpeace when four men identified by witnesses and police as brothers in a logging gang ambushed his car on a forest road in the State of Mexico and sprayed him with bullets.

The state attorney general's office says 15 detectives are on the case and identified the four brothers as the suspects.

But no arrests have been made. Critics say the police moved too slowly and the suspects went into hiding.

Greenpeace and Zamora's father Ildefonso Zamora have staged protests, put up "Wanted" posters and pressured the state's governor to bring the killers to justice.

Anti-logging locals in Zamora's small village of San Juan Atzingo have threatened to cut off the water supply to a neighboring state in protest.

"It has been 24 days since the murder and they still haven't arrested anyone. The people of San Juan Atzingo are desperate. They are worried about their safety, they're scared," said Greenpeace activist Hector Magallon.

Zamora, 21, was with three uncles and a brother when he was attacked on May 15. His brother Misael, 16, was injured.