(this is a
living post, which will be updated regularly)
(For another, perhaps more complete, list of militia and far-right extremist plots, see THIS LINK from the Southern Poverty Law Center)
(For another, perhaps more complete, list of militia and far-right extremist plots, see THIS LINK from the Southern Poverty Law Center)
But as we consider our patriotism, think for a moment
about those who espouse a more violent interpretation of what it means to be
patriotic. In particular, so-called
"citizen militias." They like
to pass themselves off as average citizens who are concerned with helping to
protect their communities. In reality
they are gun nuts who, if you visit their websites, are insurrectionist
anti-government types who stockpile weapons, play soldier in the
woods, and often have racist
views, hiding their extremist views behind a radical interpretation of the Second
Amendment and glorification of a slanted interpretation of Revolutionary War history. It is an insurrectionist philosophy which
the NRA actively supports. Sadly,
these philosophies attract people who are violent and sometimes terroristic,
often with tragic consequences.
As example: unhappy at being labeled a "fanatic," one militia member recently commented on a blog post about the threat of militias:
"The vast majority are hard-working family folks who live quietly and make the country work and who view their weapons as the last defense line against predatory criminals -- petty freelancers who steal your property and life or the real experts in the theft of property and liberty, the Leviathan federal government. The strategic fact is that we practitioners of the "insurrectionist" theory of the Founders are well-armed beyond any ability of the federal government to disarm, even if they were stupid enough to try. Since the numbers of firearms in private hands continues to skyrocket, even in the middle of a semi-depression, you would do well to remember such inconvenient truths when discussing what should be done with "militia fanatics" like me and my friends."
Sounds like an insurrectionist threat to me! He made the point of the author quite nicely.
And there has been a recent surge in the number of militias and similar groups in the United States. From an MSNBC report:
In many countries, such paramilitary groups are rightly outlawed as potential insurgent groups. There is no good reason for allowing them to exist.
And there has been a recent surge in the number of militias and similar groups in the United States. From an MSNBC report:
The election of President Barack Obama in 2008 triggered an explosion in the number of militias and so-called patriot groups in the United States, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported in its annual tally of such anti-government organizations.
There were 149 militias and patriot groups when Obama took office, compared to more than 1,200 today — an increase of 755 percent, the nonprofit civil rights organization reported.
"The increase has just been astounding," said Mark Potok, editor-in-chief of the SPLC report. "The reality is that many of these groups are becoming more and more fearful that Barack Obama will win the re-election. You can see the anger rising along with that fear."
The SPLC defines the "patriot" movement as made up of conspiracy-minded individuals who see the federal government as their primary enemy. The movement includes paramilitary militias as well as groups of "sovereign citizens," who believe they are not subject to federal or state laws, nor obligated to pay federal taxes, according to SPLC.
In many countries, such paramilitary groups are rightly outlawed as potential insurgent groups. There is no good reason for allowing them to exist.
Below I present a timeline, in reverse chronological order,
of murders, anti-government plots, and other violent crimes committed by
militia members and, sometimes, entire militia units.
This timeline will be a "living" report, updated as much as possible.
12/9/15 Eastern Washington: Schuyler Barbeau, former bodyguard to ranchland stealer Cliven Bundy, and leader of the "Sheepdog" militia, made threats and plotted to lynch public officials he didn't agree with and to "physically remove" a judge who is on the case of a misdemeanor weapons charge against Barbeau. He was also arrested for selling an illegally-modified rifle.
8/27/12 Ludowici, Georgia: Four army soldiers based at Fort Stewart, associated with a small militia group they called F.E.A.R., short for Forever Enduring Always Ready, were arrested. They "plotted to take over Fort Stewart by seizing its ammunition control point and talked of bombing the Forsyth Park fountain in nearby Savannah, she said. In Washington state, she added, the group plotted to bomb a dam and poison the state's apple crop. Ultimately, prosecutors said, the militia's goal was to overthrow the government and assassinate the president." They funded the purchase of $87K-worth of semi-auto assault rifles and explosive materials with the insurance money from the suspicious death of the pregnant wife of one of the accused. The group is also accused of murdering former soldier Michael Roark and his 17-year old girlfriend out of fear of having their plot exposed.
8/16/12 LaPlace, Louisiana: A group of four white supremacists, associated with the racist Posse Comitatus militia group which doesn't recognize federal authority, were involved in a shooting that killed two sheriff's deputies and wounded two others. They had initially shot at an off-duty deputy, then shot and killed the other two who were looking for them, ambushing them with multiple weapons, including an assault rifle. The group had already been under investigation for making terrorist threats and selling marijuana.
5/8/12 Orlando, Florida: Ten white supremecists in a
"militia-style" paramilitary group, including the leader, Marcus
Faella and his wife Patti Faella, were
arrested for plotting to start a race war, including creating a disturbance
at Orlando city hall, illegally concealing weapons in protest signs, and making
the toxin ricin. If they created a
"race war", they wanted to "kill
jews, immigrants, and other minorities." They trained on a 10-acre property of the Faellas' with assault weapons and ghillie suits until an informant was endangered, at which point the FBI moved in and arrested them.
5/2/12 Gilbert, Arizona: J.T. Ready, a popular Arizona militia leader
who led "border patrols" with fellow militia in a group called the
Ready Rangers, shot and
killed four people, including a toddler, before committing suicide. The motive is unclear, but he was armed with
a shotgun and multiple handguns, as well as a bulletproof vest. J.T. Ready was
popular for his border patrols, and was an
ardent neo-Nazi, as a member of the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi
group. Ready also had previous domestic
assault arrests. Despite all of his
previous racist and violent behavior, he nonetheless was
running for sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, and had
ties to local politics as a Republican precinct committee person and as a
speaker at Tea Party rallies. His
militia pals vowed
to continue Ready's "border patrol" activities.
1/27/12 Reno, Nevada: Edwin Green was turned
in by a 14-year old relative for being a felon in possession of a
firearm. Turns out he had an underground
bunker containing sixteen firearms.
Green is believed to be a
hitman for an Arizona militia, and has a prior arrest for domestic
violence.
11/2/11 Toccoa, Georgia: Four senior men, Frederick Thomas, Emory Dan
Roberts, Ray H. Adams, and Samuel J. Crump, who were members of a Georgia
militia group, plotted
to destroy government buildings, assassinate government officials, produce and disperse
ricin (a deadly toxin), and acquire illegal firearms and silencers. The group was infiltrated
by the FBI and arrested. The accused had ties to militia groups called the Oathkeepers and the Three Percenters.
7/4/11 Wagener, South Carolina: Kenneth Lee Myers claimed to have trained
with a militia in Michigan. He had a
small armory of weapons, including military-style assault rifles and handguns,
as well as night-vision goggles and a Kevlar vest. He had a history of violent behavior. Over the July 4 weekend, he
used a shotgun to murder four people, including his wife, her twin sister,
their mother, and his ex-girlfriend.
When police responded, he fired at them and a chase ensued, eventually
ending in his suicide with the same gun.
6/12/11 Lolo, Montana: David Burgert, leader member of a previous militia
called Project 7, who had been imprisoned due to plotting attacks on local
government and then having a standoff with arresting officers, got out of
prison and once again stockpiled weapons and survivalist goods in the
woods. He then fired
at law enforcement who had tried to pull him over for a driving infraction. A chase ensued, but he
escaped into the woods. A manhunt
took place, but he is still at large.
3/11/11 Fairbanks, Alaska: Schaeffer Cox, and four other
militia members, were arrested for conspiracy to murder law enforcement
officers and for weapons charges. Cox is
founder of the Alaska Peacemakers Militia, member of the Second Amendment Task
Force militia, and a champion of the so-called Sovereign
Citizen Movement. In March, 2010, he was arrested for failing
to reveal he had a concealed weapon. One
month later he was arrested for assaulting his wife. In March, 2011, Cox was charged with
conspiracy to possess unregistered silencers and destructive devices,
possession of an unregistered destructive device, possession of an unregistered
silencer, possession of an unregistered machine gun, and other related
charges. Later that year, the FBI
recorded conversations and revealed a plot by Cox and his fellow militia
members to commit police murders in retaliation for the weapons charges, but
the FBI recordings were determined to be unconstitutional and charges for the
alleged plot were dropped. He is currently still
facing the weapons charges. Despite his
"sovereign citizen" and militia ties, and history of breaking the
law, Cox is also tied to local Alaskan politics, having run for state
representative in 2008, being a friend of Alaskan politician Joe Miller, and
acquiring the signature of U.S. Representative Don Young on a declaration to
abolish the U.S. government if they disagreed with government gun regulations. HERE is an article on the recent court case, trying Cox and two others associated with the plot. In June of 2012, Cox and fellow militia member Lonnie Vernon were found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and various weapons offenses. Another militia member, Coleman Barney, was found guilty of weapons charges. Vernon and his wife later also plead guilty, in August of 2012, for conspiring to kill U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Beistline and IRS
officer Janice Stowell in 2011 in retaliation for ruling the couple owed
more than $165,000 in back taxes.
The Vernons admitted to buying a gun, silencer and hand grenades, and having a map to the federal judge’s home.
The Vernons admitted to buying a gun, silencer and hand grenades, and having a map to the federal judge’s home.
9/13/10 Ingham County, Michigan: Police stop Richard Scott McLeod, 48,
for a traffic violation in Webberville, Michigan, and upon searching
his vehicle,
discover bumper stickers quoting Adolf Hitler, a picture of President Barack
Obama, a loaded handgun, a bullet-proof vest, and bomb-making materials. McLeod is
arrested and charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon and unlawful
possession of body armor. McLeod tells officers that he is a member of the
Michigan Militia. The group denies any relationship with McLeod. Also found in his possession was black powder
and bomb-making literature.
3/28/10 Michigan, Ohio, Indiana: Nine members of the Michigan-based South
Michigan Milita, also known as the Hutaree, an extremist Christian paramilitary
sect who think that law enforcement are the "antichrist," were arrested for plotting to murder
police, then follow up by murdering more who attended the expected funerals with explosives. On March 28, 2012, a judge found the
government's conspiracy case against the members based on their protected free
speech to be baseless. Only a few weapons charges remain. Three of the Hutaree members had their
60-plus guns returned to them after being acquitted, including
shotguns, rifles, assault rifles, bulletproof vests, helmets, and hundreds of
rounds of ammunition.
1/12/10 Duncan, Oklahoma: Charles Allan Dyer, a member of the American
Patriot militia, and also known by the pseudonym "July4Patriot," was arrested and
sentenced for raping a 6-year old girl. During the investigation, detectives found a stolen
military grenade launcher in Dyer's home.
He went on the
run before being captured, and had made threats against law enforcement.
5/30/09 Arivaca, Arizona: Shawna Forde, leader of the Minuteman
American Defense "border patrol" militia, and accomplices, Jason
Eugene "Gunny" Bush and Albert Robert Gaxiola, raid the home of a
Latino family and opened fire, killing Raul
"Junior" Flores, wounding his wife, Gina Maria Gonzales, and killing
their 9-year old daughter, Brisenia Flores.
Forde had previously been a leader in another militia, the Minuteman
Civil Defense Corps, until being expelled.
Prior to the shooting, Forde had a long
history of violent and illegal behavior.
5/31/09 Wichita, Kansas: Scott P. Roeder, member of the Freemen
militia, shoots and kills Dr. George Tiller because of the doctor's late-term abortion
surgeries. He had
previously tried to vandalize abortion clinics and protested at clinics. In April 1996, Roeder
was arrested in Topeka after Shawnee County sheriff's deputies stopped him for
not having a proper license plate and found bomb-making materials in his car. In his car, officers said they found
ammunition, a blasting cap, a fuse cord, a one-pound can of gunpowder and two
9-volt batteries, with one connected to a switch that could have been used to
trigger a bomb.
7/22/04 Douglas, AZ: The FBI raided a
compound of the Ranch Rescue "border patrol" militia as part of an
effort to arrest its leader, Casey James Nethercott, for refusing to pull over
for federal agents looking for illegal weapons.
Nethercott's militia bodyguard, Kalen Robert Riddle, was shot and
wounded during the standoff.
7/09/03 Fremont, Michigan: Scott Allen Woodring, member of the Michigan
Militia, killed a Michigan State Police officer, Kevin Marshall, during a
standoff which started when they tried to arrest him for criminal sexual
misconduct. One week later, Woodring was
shot dead by other Michigan State Police officers. They had located him during the manhunt, and
shot him after he turned on them with an assault rifle.
2002 Flathead County, Montana: A militia group called Project 7, led by
David Bugert, stockpiled huge amounts of ammunition, weapons, and homemade
bombs and plotted
to kidnap and assassinate local officials, go to war with the National Guard
and somehow overthrow the government.
Local law enforcement found out and had a standoff with the militia
group, eventually arresting them. Bugert
was found manning a mounted machine gun.
After Bugert got out of prison in 2011, he once again shot at law
enforcement then fled into the woods and is still at large.
7/10/97 Killeen, Texas: Bradley Glover and members of the Southern
Kansas Regional Militia were arrested
for planning and almost carrying out an attack on Fort Hood Army Base, possessing
illegal firearms, and conducted reconnaissance missions on other military
bases, including Holloman Air Force Base at Alamagordo, New Mexico.
11/9/96 Wheeling, West Virginia: Seven men of the
Mountaineer Militia were indicted for a conspiracy to bomb the FBI center in
Clarksburg and two other federal targets.
Floyd ''Ray'' Looker, commander of the Mountaineer Militia, and six
others were charged with conspiracy to manufacture explosives, transport
explosives across state lines and place them near the FBI center.
7/2/96 Phoenix, Arizona: 12 members of an Arizona paramilitary militia
unit, the Viper Militia, were
arrested, accused of plotting to destroy federal offices and the Phoenix police
station. The group plotted for two
years to destroy several federal buildings there, including one that houses the
office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the FBI. The group
also planned to destroy buildings that contained offices of the Immigration and
Naturalization Service, the Internal Revenue Service and the Arizona National
Guard, along with the police headquarters.
Besides being charged with conspiracy, members of the group were charged
with illegally possessing four automatic rifles and chemicals that can be used
to make bombs, including ammonium nitrate.
4/19/95 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Timothy McVeigh bombs the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building,
with assistance by Terry Nichols and Michael and Lori Fortier. Motivated by his hatred of the federal
government and angered by what he perceived as its mishandling of the Waco Siege
(1993) and the Ruby Ridge incident (1992), McVeigh timed his attack to
coincide with the second anniversary of the deadly fire that ended the siege at
Waco. Both McVeigh and Nichols were
strong adherents of the modern militia movement, survivalists, and ardently
anti-gun control. The Murrah building
had been previously targeted in October 1983 by white supremacist group The Covenant, The
Sword, and the Arm of the Lord, including founder James Ellison and Richard Snell. The group had plotted to
park "a van or trailer in front of the Federal Building and blow it up
with rockets detonated by a timer."[29]
After Snell's appeal for murdering two people in unrelated cases was denied, he
was executed the same day as the Murrah bombing.[30]
10/7/94 Hillsdale County,
Michigan: Paul Darland, member of
the Michigan Militia,
kills a bodyguard and fellow militia member William Gleason for militia leader
Mark Koernke. After a long manhunt, he was
arrested at a strip club on June 15, 2000.
He was convicted
of the murder on February 13, 2001.
1984 The Covenant, The
Sword, and the Arm of the Lord member Richard Wayne Snell, was arrested for killing
an African-American police officer. Snell was later
tied to the killing of a Jewish gun store owner in 1981, obtaining and using
the very same gun, the serial number of which had been removed by the CSA
armorer, Kent Yates, who himself was arrested on Friday, July 13, 1984, on an
outstanding warrant out of New Mexico for firearms violations in Farmington. He was later also charged and
convicted of weapons manufacture and modification for the CSA.
1983 The Covenant, The
Sword, and the Arm of the Lord member William Thomas
accompanying members Richard Wayne Snell and Steven Scott attempted
to dynamite a natural gas pipeline, without success.
