Feds Raid Militia Group in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 06:56:28 PM EST
Tags: militias (all tags)

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I thought the militias were in Northern Michigan (which made me think of this Kid Rock song from his Rock and Roll Jesus album), but it appears they are also in Ann Arbor and Southern/Southeastern Michigan. The feds were busy doing raids this weekend.

Seven people were arrested, some on gun charges. One group assumes the target of the militias is American Muslims. [More...]

Dawud Walid, head of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he was told that the Christian militia group may have been plotting against American Muslims.

"We salute the FBI for breaking up a militia that was seeking to harm American Muslims," Walid said.

The militia group being targeted is an extremist Christian Group called Hutaree. Here's their doctrine. They are "preparing for the end of time to keep the testimony of Jesus Christ alive."

Also along on the raids: Homeland Security. Those arrested will appear in court tomorrow. Right now, all documents are sealed.

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Feds Raid Militia Group in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio | 23 comments (23 topical)

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I expect a lot more of this (none / 0) (#1)
by Militarytracy on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 08:13:03 PM EST

sort of thing for awhile.

This group, despite the headlines, (none / 0) (#2)
by jimakaPPJ on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 08:44:54 PM EST

is not what you would consider a "right wing" militia. It appears to be fringe religious group:

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.

"Christian militia" (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by jondee on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 09:33:02 PM EST

"preparing to do battle with the anti-christ"

Now why would anyone assume that they were what you'd consider right wing? When was the last time anyone on the right did anything as far-fetched as marrying gun hoarding with end-times religion?


You Missed It (none / 0) (#6)
by squeaky on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 09:59:28 PM EST

Our ppj was scratching them off the list of christofascist white supremacist wingnut patriots because there was a muslim involved.


I see that neither of you can read (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by jimakaPPJ on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 10:13:14 PM EST

what the article says.

But why should you be able to now?


: Not Right Wing (none / 0) (#18)
by squeaky on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 01:06:29 PM EST

Because there is a dirty Muslim in the group?

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.
So not only is this not a precious rightwing christofascist group fighting for America's freedoms, because there is a militia leader of "Islamic decent" involved, but that militia leader has no loyalty to his followers and is a snitch to boot.
Is this akin to the "one drop rule", tailored to Islamic decendents?
Can't trust em... dirty furriners...

Especially when 25% of Republicans polled (none / 0) (#14)
by ruffian on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 08:48:25 AM EST

claim to think Obama is the anti-Christ.

That is why they cannot be thought of as simply religious fanatics.


Perhaps you could clarify (none / 0) (#23)
by Rojas on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 07:10:15 PM EST

Are you referring to the Branch?


Right wing ideologies (5.00 / 2) (#16)
by waldenpond on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 09:20:24 AM EST

If you want to separate them fine, but they are easily comparable and barely separable.

Both are based on far right ideologies that are anti-govt. Christ extremists hate govt and believe everyone should be indoctrinated with a bible education in public schools. 'Libertarians' and right-wing extremists hate govt and think everyone should follow their beliefs. What's interesting is most militia groups who despise the govt almost always have their OWN constitutions. ha!

Both are based on fear and are anti-'other' and it increases as the target expands... community, states, country and (gasp) one world order where world religions and the UN are the enemy.


: Do you attack the theocratic Muslim states (none / 0) (#22)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 06:35:17 PM EST

and radical Muslims with the same vigor?
Inquiring minds want to know.
lol

Bad week for right wing zealots. (none / 0) (#3)
by lucky leftie on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 08:45:59 PM EST

As flawed (and "centrist")as the healthcare bill is, it has driven the tea partiers off the deep end. Add to that the "government takeover" of student loans, recess appointments, and now this. Their heads must be spinning. Perhaps I'll head over to Free Republic to revel in schadenfreude.

The Atari? The game system? (none / 0) (#4)
by Salo on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 09:24:42 PM EST

Two kids I know are considering going (none / 0) (#8)
by oculus on Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 11:50:28 PM EST

to U of M this fall as freshmen. Wonder what's going on?

Many residents of Michigan (none / 0) (#9)
by Militarytracy on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 07:41:31 AM EST

have a fascination with the militia concept. I have no idea why, only know it is so.


Many (none / 0) (#10)
by Rojas on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 07:58:47 AM EST

as in more than five but less than fifty?
Or as in a few percent of the population?


I suppose I consider it many (none / 0) (#11)
by Militarytracy on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 08:04:43 AM EST

because it is more than I'm used to. I don't know why Michigan has a greater fascinantion, my husband was raised in Battlecreek. He thinks it has something to do with the general public acceptance of the Michigan militia and then other militia spin offs occur.


: I have no idea (none / 0) (#12)
by Rojas on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 08:20:56 AM EST

but I doubt if there were more than a couple, maybe a few thousand nationwide at the height of the movement.

Michigan has high gun ownership (none / 0) (#15)
by peon on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 09:17:11 AM EST

because hunting is very popular in the state. Historically Michigan has always been a big hunting state, lots of state land, plenty of water for fishing and boating. The result is the outdoors is a big recreational arena for Michigan residents. Michigan also has historically a militant population, think about the unions. Think of all the union conflicts that took place in Michigan over the years. Those people or their children, or their grandchildren are still around, and things have gotten more difficult for them.
The Ann Arbor angle of the story happened because AA is in Washtenaw County. The western part of Washtenaw is the 7th Congressional District, Rep Walburgs old district. The 7th went Democrat, with the election of Mark Shauer, for the first time since the gerrymandering of the district in the early 1990's. Washtenaw County butts up to Lenawee, with Hillsdale next door. These areas are strongly Libertarian, have some of the highest unemployment in the southern part of the state. Hillsdale County's official unemployment rate is 20%.
Your kid going to Univ of Michigan will be aware of none of this. Ann Arbor is Obamaland.
I live in this district, am a farmer, and know many of these people all to intimately.


Just because I read what I read. (none / 0) (#13)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 08:35:46 AM EST

Despite the connection between the groups, Lackomar said the Hutaree are not truly part fo the militia movement, but more like a cult.
"They believe that this is the end of the world as prophesized by the Bible and it is their duty to take up arms to fight alongside Jesus against the impending forces of Satan," he said.

How presumptuous of anyone (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by jondee on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 12:34:26 PM EST

to assume that a group waiting to "take up arms alongside Jesus against Satan" would have right wing sympathies..

As if that world view resembled in any way what the Falwells, Hagees, Robertsons, Lahayes etc have been promulgating all these years..


: Let's not be quick to (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by jondee on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 02:48:13 PM EST

assume Ted "Kill the Pig" Nugent and all those "fist the baboon" and "our constitutional right to use the
N word" comments at Fox are coming from the right either..
And forget all about canary-in-a-coal-mine theories about christian militia's being connected in any way with teabagger rage and over-heated "time to reload" rhetoric..This is more likely an isolated incident concerning a fringe group with gripes completely unrelated to the current of anger the right has been stirring..

Not Ann Arbor (none / 0) (#19)
by Emma on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 01:54:21 PM EST

Adrian, where the people were arrested, is not Ann Arbor.

: in fact (none / 0) (#20)
by Emma on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 01:57:03 PM EST

Terry Nichols, who lived in Dexter, was closer to A2 than the folks in Adrian.