Ninja "Warriors" Arrested In N.J.

Men Armed With Nunchucks And Swords Say They Were Sending Warnings To Drug Users

(CBS/ AP)  Clifton police say they arrested two men dressed liked ninjas and armed with Asian martial arts weapons who said they were sending a warning to drug users.

Calling themselves "Shinobi warriors," the men wore black SWAT-type vests and carried knives, throwing stars, swords, nunchucks and a bow and arrows.

Twenty-year-old Tadeusz Tertkiewicz and 19-year-old Jesse Trojaniak are charged with weapons possession. Tertkiewicz is also charged with harassment for a letter left for an ex-girlfriend.

After being arrested early Wednesday in a car on Route 46, the men said they were delivering warning letters to drug dealers and drug users urging them to stop their "impure" activities.

Their weapons, Detective Capt. Robert Rowan told The Bergen County Record, were to be a precaution in case they were confronted by the drug dealers.
The officers who arrested the men found the letters in five envelopes decorated with red Chinese designs, The Record reports.

Reports show the two men had already delivered one such letter to Tertkiewicz’ 16-year-old ex-girlfriend in Clifton. Police contacted the teen and her mother and alerted them to the situation.

The letters warned drug users and drug dealers that the “Shinobi will stop your cruel and sadistic intentions with justified yet, merciful force.”

In the letter, the two men accused drug dealers and users of having “committed sin of passing impurity” to others and that the “wind guides us to those of impure heart and intent.”

“Their intentions may have been good, but we tell everyone that they shouldn’t take the law into their own hands because it will cause more problems for everyone in the longrun,” Rowan said.

Trojaniak's father tells The Associated Press his son is "not a maniac" and was only trying to help a friend.

[dsr57]

HA HA HA That''s awesome.

[pollroller1]

Me thinks they been playing too many video games, watching too much TV and too many movies.
Seems they have lost touch with what is real and what is fantasy.

[redbds]

What a couple of nut jobs. I like it though.

[chimpyout]

Let the struggle continue against slyboots, knaves, swindlers, seducers and other such enemies of the people.

[irliberal]

Looks like someone''s addicted to hero fantasies. I''m surprised they weren''t dressed up as ninja TURTLES.

[pollroller1]

Where is spiderman when you need him, LOL

[Gary Kempf]

I guess Armadillo man was still busy making his personal Capital one credit card????

[hypnotoad72]

Can''t they go after the dealers? Wait, that''s too much a challenge -- much easier to prey on the dopeheads lying in the gutter...

[rainking514]

so i''m not sure what they are getting in trouble for, they didnt hurt anyone. So they were trying to scare some drug dealers/users, big whoop. the cops are probably just pissed because they were doing a better job than they were.

[mountainzen]

Hollywood, where are you? This would be even better that "Pineapple Express!" Sign the movie rights away guys!

The bow and arrows are a nice touch. Uhm, don''t drug dealers have guns?

I wonder what theme song to use? The "Benny Hill" theme?

Truth is stranger than fiction...

[davgar51]

Are they turtles?

[jennmarikp]

There aren''t out to fight crime for real . . . they are simply using that as an excuse to go out dressed like ninjas and cause havoc, just like any other nut job!

[hwy71so]

Couple years in the marines would do them good...

[omega39-2009]

The brothers would pop a couple of caps in their azzez

[apprxam]

It''s clear that the police department, Clifton officals and county prosectors just weren''t getting the job done. One has to ask: when is it proper for law enforcement to nip crime in the bud?

That said, sending an ex-girlfriend the same threatening "calling card" make the honorable aspect of clearing the drug element suspicious.

[sistatee-2009]

"Tertkiewicz is also charged with harassment for a letter left for an ex-girlfriend."

Felonious letter sending? Man, I''m glad HE''S off the street! And what have the cops done to the drug dealers? Zero. Zip. Nada. Go have a well-deserved doughnut, boys!

[libsluv2spit]

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother''s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."

[frankinaz]

Thanks, CBS News: I needed a good laugh today, and this story provided it!

[hologram5]

sounds like they need to stay away from the video games for a while.

[do_not_know]

I salute these ''ninjas''. Who cares by their looks? When it comes to fighting drug dealing, at least it''s another approach to it. All martial arts are for self defense. They are keeping those weapons to keep safe in case trouble arises. Keep up the effort!

[messiahx4eve]

Were they turtles on a half shell?

[smilingez50]

this kids are doing what the whole world is afraid to do. to get involved, to take action, and to risk harm to themselves in order to stop drugs. this kids should be given bravery metals. bless you kids. be safe.

[cucullen1]

I dont know anything of these two people other than from this story, and would think that they are living whith a tenative grasp on reaility, AND, the weapons they chose would be ineffective against drug dealers, they are admirable for one reason, they chose to do something about something that they are unsatisfied with. "Do not take the law into your own hands", is this the idea that our founding fathers espoused? The "LAW" should always reside in the hands of the goverend and if it is not, it is the fault of the goverend, and up to the goverend to change.

[deacon20081]

Too many cartoons and ninja video fight games. It''s best they were stopped before ending up dead.

[my2centss]

%u201CTheir intentions may have been good, but we tell everyone that they shouldn%u2019t take the law into their own hands because it will cause more problems for everyone in the longrun,%u201D Rowan said.

How much many more problems can it cause by getting involved than we already have? Its time to stand up for what you believe.

[fullshred]

Does the Venetian in Garfield do anything other than train Ninja Warriors? This would make for a good story line. "Ninja by day, catering waiter by night: The Jesse Trojaniak Story" rotflmao!!!

Nice goin'' Dave!

[toldyouso12]

"Twenty-year-old Tadeusz Tertkiewicz and 19-year-old Jesse Trojaniak are charged with weapons possession. Tertkiewicz is also charged with harassment for a letter left for an ex-girlfriend."



Polish or Czech Ninja? Somebody was taking Ben Stiller and Robert Downey''s new movie waaaaaay too seriously (impersonating other races) rotflmao

[ejpearcy]

Well, crime fighting on a personal level has long been glorified. It seems like an appropriate means when the threat is great and when it IS NOT A PERSONAL CHOICE. Drug use IS a personal choice which should not be anyone else''s business in a free society.

Neither police nor vigilantes have any business enforcing their will upon others no matter how badly they wish things were different.

[deacon20081]

Had two aquaintenaces years ago who earned their minor degree''s in karate. Thought they were a couple of bad azzz''s. Got in a fight with two street fighters...........It was not pretty, both karate champs ended up in a ditch with broken faces and legs. It was like HAI Karate! verse High with a Crow Bar...

[slim1h2o]

So why does the 19 year old, have a 16 year old ex-girl friend?

Hmm, me thinks something was going on that shouldn''t be. With these two, meaning the girl, and man (?) in this case.

[keithle1]

Why don''t black people do this kind of thing? Take back their neighborhoods from the drug dealers, thugs & gangs.

[zerrato]

Let''s face it...this is New Jersey. Drug pushers and hoodlums are the FIRST CLASS citizens, everyone else better just behave themselves.

[zerrato]

Polish or Czech Ninja? Somebody was taking Ben Stiller and Robert Downey''''s new movie waaaaaay too seriously (impersonating other races) rotflmao

Posted by toldyouso12 at 11:42 PM : Aug 21, 2008

Robert Downey Jr wasn''t impersonating anything...he''s just kept his true race in the closet all this time.

[usclimey]

Socialism FAILS every time!

Posted by zerrato

I''d ask a Russian about that. Moscow was safe under the communists - now it''s a shooting gallery.

[patriot12436]

deacon
Anyone in martial arts that looks for fights is not a true martial artist. With the training comes discipline and respect, fr yourself, other people and the art.

[patriot12436]

It says they left a threatening note with an ex girl friend so i don''t think these guys were playing with a full deck.