Excitement in Michigan
- From: "Joan F \(MI\)" <jjfahl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:20:18 -0400
They showed the raid from a distance on the local news but didn't have these
details:
FBI Agents Conduct Raids in Mich., Ohio, Ind.
Federal agents conduct weekend raids in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, at least 3
people arrested
The Associated Press
By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER Associated Press Writer
ADRIAN, Mich. March 28, 2010 (AP)
The FBI said Sunday that agents conducted weekend raids in Michigan, Indiana
and Ohio and arrested at least three people, and a militia leader in
Michigan said the target of at least one of the raids was a Christian
militia group.
Federal warrants were sealed, but FBI spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold said
there had been activity in two southwest Michigan counties near the Ohio
state line. She wouldn't say whether they were tied to the raids in the
other states.
FBI spokesman Scott Wilson in Cleveland said agents arrested two people
Saturday after raids in two towns in Ohio. A third arrest was made in
northeast Illinois on Sunday, a day after a raid took place just over the
border in northwest Indiana.
Michael Lackomar, a spokesman for the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia,
said one of his team leaders got a frantic phone call Saturday evening from
members of Hutaree, a Christian militia group, who said their property in
southwest Michigan was being raided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives.
"They said they were under attack by the ATF and wanted a place to hide,"
Lackomar said. "My team leader said, 'no thanks.' "
The team leader was cooperating with the FBI on Sunday, Lackomar said. He
said SMVM wasn't affiliated with Hutaree, which states on its Web site to be
"prepared to defend all those who belong to Christ and save those who
aren't."
"We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ.
All Christians must know this and prepare, just as Christ commanded," the
group's Web site said. "Jesus wanted us to be ready to defend ourselves
using the sword and stay alive using equipment.
An e-mail sent to the group by The Associated Press wasn't returned Sunday,
and phone numbers for the group's leadership were not immediately available.
Berchtold, the FBI spokeswoman in Michigan, said she could neither confirm
nor deny whether the raids were connected to Hutaree.
Lackomar said none of the raids focused on his group, which is affiliated
with the Michigan Militia, a larger militia umbrella group. Lackomar said
about eight to 10 members of Hutaree trained with SMVM twice in the past
three years. SMVM holds monthly training sessions focusing on survival
training and shooting practice, Lackomar said.
FBI agents in Ohio made arrests in Huron and Sandusky on Saturday night,
Wilson said. No further information would be released until after they
appeared in court Monday, he said.
One of the raids occurred at Bayshore Estates, a trailer park in Sandusky, a
small city on Lake Erie between Toledo and Cleveland, park manager Terry
Mills said. Authorities blocked off the street for about an hour Saturday
night, he said.
"Needless to say, this has everyone talking," said Mills, 62. "We have a lot
of retirees here who don't want all this commotion."
Mills said he didn't know the identity of the person arrested.
Associated Press Writers Erin Gartner in Chicago, Rick Callahan in
Indianapolis and Matt Leingang in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this
report.
.
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