Seven arrested in FBI raids linked to Christian militia group

[Thor]

Seven arrested in FBI raids linked to Christian militia group
Jennifer Chambers / The Detroit News



At least seven people, including some from Michigan, have been arrested in raids by a FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana as part of an investigation into an Adrian-based Christian militia group, a person familiar with the matter said.

The suspects are expected to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Monday.

On Sunday, a source close to the investigation in Washington, D.C. confirmed that FBI agents were conducting activities in Washtenaw and Lenawee counties over the weekend in connection to Hutaree, a Christian militia group. Detroit FBI Special Agent Sandra Berchtold told The Detroit News the federal warrants in the case are under court seal and declined further comment.

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Sources have said the FBI was in the second day of raids around the southeastern Michigan city of Adrian that are connected to a militia group, known as the Hutaree, an Adrian-based group whose members describe themselves as Christian soldiers preparing for the arrival and battle with the anti-Christ.

WXYZ-TV reports that helicopters were spotted in the sky for much of Saturday night, and agents set up checkpoints throughout the area. Witnesses told the station that it was like a small army had descended on the area. The Department of Homeland Security and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are also involved in the raids.

Mike Lackomar, of Michiganmilitia.com, said both The Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia and the Michiganmilitia.com were not a part of the raid.

Lackomar said he heard from other militia members that the FBI targeted the Hutaree after its members made threats of violence against Islamic organizations.

"Last night and into today the FBI conducted a raid against homes belonging to the Hutaree. They are a religious cult. They are not part of our militia community," he said.

Lackomar said he was told there were five arrests Saturday and another five early Sunday. The FBI declined to comment.

One of the Hutaree members called a Michigan militia leader for assistance Saturday after federal agents had already began their raid, Lackomar said, but the militia member -- who is of Islamic decent and had heard about the threats -- declined to offer help. That Michigan militia leader is now working with federal officials to provide information on the Hutaree member for the investigation, Lackomar said Sunday.

"They are more of survivalist group and in an emergency they withdraw and stand their ground. They are actively training to be alongside Jesus," he said.

Sources from the Michigan militia community said one of the FBI raids took place Saturday during a wake for a Hutaree member who had died of natural causes. A Hutaree leader was arrested during the wake while at the same time agents were conducting raids at other locations.

The Associated Press is reporting that FBI spokesman Scott Wilson in Cleveland said agents arrested two people Saturday in northwest Ohio. A third arrest was made in Illinois on Sunday, a day after raids in northwest Indiana.

Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on Islamic-American Relations of Michigan, made an announcement Sunday during the group's 10th anniversary banquet about receiving a call from a network journalist about the alleged threat against Muslims.

"Don't allow this news to scare you away from practicing your faith," said Walid.

Audible gaps were heard throughout the banquet hall when the news was announced. Walid said he will call local authorities about more information on the allegations. He urged local Muslims to recommitt themselves to their faith in light of the accusations.

David Shepardson and Oralandar Brand-Williams contributed to this report. jchambers@detnews.com

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100328/METRO/3280313/Seven-arrested-in-FBI-raids-linked-to-Christian-militia-group#ixzz0jWtc6NhD


So, the Muslims can make threats against Christians and nothing happens to them, but if a Christian group makes threats towards Muslims, they are rounded up and arrested.....  I fail to see the parity here. After all, the Muslims have boldly stated they want to kill Americans.

[5412]

Hi ,

I read the article twice.  Just exactly what were they charged with when they were arrested, were they arrested by the thought police.  

If you can get arrested for what you are thinking, all you have to do is have a good looking young chick walk into a bar and 99% of the men could be arrested.  Nowdays the reverse would likely be true also.

regards,
5412

[thundley4]

Hi ,

I read the article twice.  Just exactly what were they charged with when they were arrested, were they arrested by the thought police.  

If you can get arrested for what you are thinking, all you have to do is have a good looking young chick walk into a bar and 99% of the men could be arrested.  Nowdays the reverse would likely be true also.

regards,
5412

I'm sure that some trumped up legal charges will be forthcoming from the DOJ and DHS. 

[JohnnyReb]

There is a Muslim , gated, chainlink fenced, compound not more than 35 miles from me. They have a firing range and all.....when is the gummint going to invade their compound and arrest religious fundamentalist?

....Oh that's right.... never.....hell, them muzzies actually kill people.

[The Village Idiot]

Too bad they can't find any Michigan Mosques preaching hate and violence

[mamacags]

Too bad they can't find any Michigan Mosques preaching hate and violence

What kind of fairy tale land do you live in?  There are no mosques that would do that in the U.S.!  They are all peace loving little fuzzy snuggly bears.

[debk]

the Hutaree, an Adrian-based group whose members describe themselves as Christian soldiers preparing for the arrival and battle with the anti-Christ.

Perhaps this was what got them arrested.....not their "issues" with Muslims.....as some folks feel the anti-Christ is already here.....

[The Village Idiot]

What kind of fairy tale land do you live in?  There are no mosques that would do that in the U.S.!  They are all peace loving little fuzzy snuggly bears.

Reading between the lines tells me that it was Muslims that called in the feds

[DumbAss Tanker]

Hi ,

I read the article twice.  Just exactly what were they charged with when they were arrested, were they arrested by the thought police.  

If you can get arrested for what you are thinking, all you have to do is have a good looking young chick walk into a bar and 99% of the men could be arrested.  Nowdays the reverse would likely be true also.

regards,
5412

I have no more idea what really happened than anyone else, but from the sound of it some of their members apparently told someone they were going to actively do something illegal as a group, carelessly or intentionally, which reached the ears of John Law, and that's really all it takes to get search warrants for evidence of an illegal conspiracy. 

Informers and loudmouths are the bane of conspiracies, from the Gunpowder Plot to the present day.

[Thor]

Charges are out: "seditious Conspiracy" and "Attempted use of a WMD".........  It's been alleged that members of  the group wanted to kill a police officer and then kill the mourners at the officer's funeral.

[dutch508]

Perhaps this was what got them arrested.....not their "issues" with Muslims.....as some folks feel the anti-Christ is already here.....

The release states weapons charges. Waco anyone?

[DefiantSix]

The release states weapons charges. Waco anyone?

Ruby Ridge seems appropriate as well.

[thundley4]

Could this be a warning shot across the bow of the April 19th pro-gun rally in DC?

[Javelin]

I have no more idea what really happened than anyone else, but from the sound of it some of their members apparently told someone they were going to actively do something illegal as a group, carelessly or intentionally, which reached the ears of John Law, and that's really all it takes to get search warrants for evidence of an illegal conspiracy. 

Informers and loudmouths are the bane of conspiracies, from the Gunpowder Plot to the present day.

I have no doubt that what your saying is true, yet by law, you cannot arrest someone on the basis of a theory or what someone said alone.  It goes back to what 5412 is saying, what law did they actually break?  Now as with anything in this world they could find some erroneous detail like failure to use a blinker while driving then raid.  Yet what we are entering into is thought crime. 

Seriously how many gun owners out there wished that Pelosi would have dropped dead when HC was passed?  Does that put anyone who thought this into violation as well?  Should we be arrested?  My point here is while I think this group may have been a bit whacked out, I tend to take whatever I hear on the news these days with a grain of salt.  It seems like when they wish to paint someone as evil they do so with ease to reach the agenda they wish.  Just because I hear people at Tea Parties are racist evil haters of equal rights, well I dont believe that either.

It just makes me raise an eyebrow as to what was behind the raid.  It looks to me more like a preemptive strike.  I understand they were conspiring to do this or that, or was it just a bunch of really bad jokes of what they "could" do if they wanted to and someone ran to big brother? 

Wheres the proof?

[Javelin]

I have been reading the comments on Fox News people post about the story, and also on YouTube and all I know to say is WTF!!!  I mean this is ******* crazy.  People are going at each other like sharks.  Man all this place needs is a spark and the whole country could erupt into a blaze.  WTH happened to this country........

 

[DumbAss Tanker]

Actually Javelin, all it takes to arrest and convict every member of a criminal conspiracy is proof of one overt act by any ONE single member of that conspiracy.  One overt act could, in certain circumstances, be merely verbal, such as an inquiry attempting to purchase necessary equipment for the plot. 

[thundley4]

I have been reading the comments on Fox News people post about the story, and also on YouTube and all I know to say is WTF!!!  I mean this is ******* crazy.  People are going at each other like sharks.  Man all this place needs is a spark and the whole country could erupt into a blaze.  WTH happened to this country........

 

0Bama.

[The Village Idiot]

Actually Javelin, all it takes to arrest and convict every member of a criminal conspiracy is proof of one overt act by any ONE single member of that conspiracy.  One overt act could, in certain circumstances, be merely verbal, such as an inquiry attempting to purchase necessary equipment for the plot. 

What if that single member were an undercover ATF agent?

[debk]

0Bama.

you beat me to it!  

[Javelin]

Actually Javelin, all it takes to arrest and convict every member of a criminal conspiracy is proof of one overt act by any ONE single member of that conspiracy.  One overt act could, in certain circumstances, be merely verbal, such as an inquiry attempting to purchase necessary equipment for the plot. 

Ok I can understand that completely and it makes perfect sense.  Dont get me wrong.  But I just raise an eyebrow anytime I see something like this.  How difficult would it be to twist something into a conspiracy because someone could wish it so?  Such as some of the left wingers that have been arrested for "plotting" to kill the president.  Some of them had no more means of committing such an act as my five year old, nor the intelligence.  

I guess what I am saying is there is a fine line between a conspiracy and "thought crime".  But it will take a lot of time for the proof I am looking for to come out.  No one has those answers at the moment but the police.  

[DumbAss Tanker]

Well, your concerns aren't completely unjustified, and that's kind of rolled up in FGL's comment about ATFE agents becoming too 'Active' as participants and then promoting mere talk into a full-blown conspiracy by their own actions.  Stranger things have certainly happened...especially when one agency has a black program to infiltrate an organization, and doesn't want to compromise their source by telling another agency that it actually has a guy inside. 

[mamacags]

I think the whole thing is a load of crap.

[Doc]

It's interesting to contrast this event, from a national Justice Dept. policy perspective, to the approach of the Clinton Administration.

If you recall the Clinton Justice Department focused a significant percentage of their resources "internally" towards militia groups, and survivalists communities.......administrative, institutionalized, paranoia.......rather than picking up on the growing threat of Islamic fundamentalism.......

Clinton (a leftist) appeared to view the biggest threat to his administration as internal.....coming from the American citizenry.......where GWB did not (of course 9/11 changed everything)......

Now we have another "leftist" in the White House......and right on cue......his Justice Dept. views the American citizen as the "enemy".....

doc

[Javelin]

It's interesting to contrast this event, from a national Justice Dept. policy perspective, to the approach of the Clinton Administration.

If you recall the Clinton Justice Department focused a significant percentage of their resources "internally" towards militia groups, and survivalists communities.......administrative, institutionalized, paranoia.......rather than picking up on the growing threat of Islamic fundamentalism.......

Clinton (a leftist) appeared to view the biggest threat to his administration as internal.....coming from the American citizenry.......where GWB did not (of course 9/11 changed everything)......

Now we have another "leftist" in the White House......and right on cue......his Justice Dept. views the American citizen as the "enemy".....

doc

I agree with this analogy completely. 

Yet after hearing an interview with the militia leaders former fiance... if shes telling the truth and it sounded like she was, these people are crack pots!  She said that the guy refused to get a drivers license because he believed the government did not have a right to force him to.  There was also a connotation of how he was not just anti government but also anti everything.  Sounded to me like the man was a schizophrenic nut case.

But still I will hold my final judgment until more comes out via the courts.

[The Village Idiot]

But still I will hold my final judgment until more comes out via the courts.

Well, in a perfect world there wouldn't be a need to have a license to drive