El Chapo's sons are injured in cartel attack: Relatives of jailed drug lord 'are wounded by their father's former right-hand man who now runs a rival gang'
- Sons of notorious drug kingpin 'El Chapo' were reportedly wounded in an attack
- Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman being held in maximum security prison in New York
- A journalist received letter from Guzman's sons describing the purported attack
- Sons said they were with the boss of the Sinaloa cartel their father used to run
- Letter accused Damaso Lopez, another alleged Sinaloa figure, of betraying them
The sons of notorious drug kingpin 'El Chapo' were reportedly wounded in an attack they blamed on a one-time rival of their father.
Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman is being held in a maximum security prison in New York after he was extradited last month.
Mexican journalist Ciro Gomez Leyva said he received a handwritten letter from Guzman's sons describing Saturday's purported attack.
They said they were with Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, the boss of the Sinaloa cartel their father used to run, and he was also targeted.
The journalist said the letter accused Damaso Lopez, another alleged Sinaloa figure, of betraying them.
The sons of notorious drug kingpin 'El Chapo' were reportedly wounded in an attack they blamed on a one-time rival of their father
The letter said they had come to a meeting organized by Lopez only to find he was not there, and gunmen suddenly opened fire and killed their bodyguards.
Guzman's sons - who were not named by the journalist - said they managed to escape with Zambada.
Guzman's lawyer Jose Refugio confirmed to local media the letter came from the sons.
He told Radio Formula: 'I was aware of that, I know about that letter and I know they wrote that letter. But it was not delivered through me.'
Mexican authorities did not immediately confirm or otherwise comment on the purported attack.
Guzman was arrested for the third time in January 2016 and finally extradited to the United States last month.
The notorious kingpin escaped twice from prison in Mexico, once in a laundry basket and most recently through a tunnel in his cell.
He has complained about his condition in custody at the maximum security prison and said he has been denied marital visits and is largely being kept in solitary confinement.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges he ran the world's largest drug-trafficking organisation during a decades-long career.
He faces life in prison if convicted.
Guzman was arrested for the third time in January 2016 and finally extradited to the United States last month
El Chapo's sons they were with Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, pictured, the boss of the Sinaloa cartel their father used to run, and he was also targeted
Some have speculated a bloody turf war could break out to fill the power vacuum.
Last August, his son Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar was one of a half-dozen people kidnapped by armed men from a restaurant in the Pacific coast city of Puerto Vallarta. He was released later.
According to the US Department of Justice, Lopez was indicted by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2011, accused of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to launder money.
When the indictment was unsealed on March 7, 2013, he was said to be 47 years old.
At the time, the Department of Justice called him 'a top lieutenant' for Guzman and the Sinaloa cartel.
Most watched News videos
- Danielle Bregoli throws punches while boarding Spirit Airways
- Cameraman 'zooms in' on woman's breasts in 'see-through' swimsuit
- Caught on camera: Bystanders watch topless men fighting in street
- Moment Lindsay Hoyle and Alex Salmond scream at each other
- Danielle Bregoli discusses fighting a 'crack head' with her mom
- 'I don't take no s***': Bus driver kicks drunk man off bus
- Watch Barack Obama wipe out in kite surfing battle
- McConnell blocks Warren from reading letter from MLK's wife
- Footage shows hostile environment that Alexander Blackman endured
- Melissa McCarthy nails screeching Sean Spicer on SNL
- Danielle went viral after appearing on Dr Phil in 2016
- Moment woman pops open her shirt by flexing her boobs
- Socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, 45, dies at her London...
- 'She hit my mom and I need to whoop her right now:'...
- Barack Obam-AIR! New photos show former president...
- San Francisco transit janitor who makes more than $250K a...
- Woman accused of Photoshopping an engaged stranger's face...
- 'My intestines were out... and she was grabbing hold of...
- Snow could hit London TONIGHT and it's set to be a white...
- Chilling moment four women are stranded on a rock in the...
- Tara's devastating secret illness in her own words: How...
- Thinking of her breaststroke? Distracted cameraman...
- The astonishing moment a Zebra's head is left poking out...
- Bridge of sighs: Disgusted mother, 19, spots a couple...
- Visiting daddy at work! Ivanka shares sweet snap of her...
- New male contraceptive jab that works for TWO YEARS:...
- Iraqi girl, 10, is 'bitten to death' with medieval...
- Manchester City star John Stones splashes out £3.4million...
- 92% of left-wing activists live with their parents and...
- Mother is sentenced to 16 years in prison for incest,...