Cops in Clifton, New Jersey, earlier this week cuffed two ninja vigilantes dressed in black SWAT-style vests and carrying knives, throwing stars, swords, nunchucks and a bow and arrows, who were apparently on their way to deliver cease-and-desist letters to local drug peddlers, AP reports.

The self-styled "Shinobi warriors" were pulled on Wednesday in a car on Route 46 en route to urge narcotics dealers and users to stop their "impure" activities. Their letter warned that those who refused to see the light would be administered "justified yet, merciful force".*

Tadeusz Tertkiewicz, 20, and Jesse Trojaniak, 19, were charged on a weapons possession rap. Tertkiewicz is "also charged with harassment for a letter left for an ex-girlfriend".

Enigmatically, Trojaniak's father told AP his son was "not a maniac", but rather "only trying to help a friend". ®

Bootnote

*That's how AP transcribed it. Pesky commas, eh?

Related stories

• NZ man uses hedgehog as ninja star (7 April 2008)
• Ninja she-devils rob Pennsylvania gas station (25 September 2007)
• Kung fu monks battle gobby net ninja (31 August 2007)