PALOMINAS, Arizona (AP) -- Men in black armed with guns and knives robbed
                  a group of 15 illegal Mexican immigrants, the fourth such attack within two
                  weeks, U.S. authorities said.

                  Rob Daniels, spokesman for the Border Patrol's Tucson sector, said Friday that
                  as in the other robberies, the illegal entrants were forced disrobe so the thieves
                  could make sure they hadn't missed anything.

                  Some of the women were reportedly fondled. In each case there were three to
                  five attackers.

                  The current rash of such attacks is the first such series near this San Pedro
                  River community about five miles (eight kilometers) west of Naco and three
                  miles (four kilometers) north of the Mexican border. The area leads the United
                  States in arrests of illegal aliens.

                  The migrants were returned to Mexico after speaking with the Mexican consul in
                  Douglas.

                  The Border Patrol had announced recently that six Army helicopters would begin
                  patrolling the border on Saturday. Daniels said they probably would be based at
                  Fort Huachuca, next door to Sierra Vista and about 50 miles (80 kilometers)
                  northwest of the Douglas-Naco area. The Border Patrol has two of its own.

                  Copyright 2001 The Associated Press.