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Oct 8 (Reuters) – Thirteen people, including seven men associated with the Wolverine Watchmen militia group, have been arrested for alleged plots to take the Michigan governor hostage and attack the state capitol building, prosecutors said Thursday.
By Nathan Layne and Gabriella Borter
The group aimed to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat and a frequent target of the ire of Republican President Donald Trump, before the Nov. 3 presidential election, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Michigan.
At one point, the alleged conspirators discussed recruiting a force of 200 to storm the state capitol in Lansing and take hostages, but then abandoned the plan in favor of a plan to kidnap Whitmer from his vacation home, according to the complaint.
At a press conference, Whitmer accused Trump of rooting for extremist groups like the “sick and depraved men” who attacked her, citing as an example her refusal to condemn white supremacists in the recent US presidential debate against Joe Biden.
“When our leaders meet, encourage and fraternize with national terrorists, they legitimize their actions and are complicit,” said Whitmer. “We are not enemies of each other.”
Internal U.S. security memoranda in recent months have warned that violent domestic extremists could pose a threat to election-related targets, a concern exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, political tensions, civil unrest and campaigning for misinformation abroad.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said during congressional hearings in September that his agency was conducting investigations into violent domestic extremists, including white supremacists and anti-fascist groups. Wray said most “parts” of the investigations were on white supremacist groups.
Andrew Birge, the US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, said the FBI learned through social media that a group of people was discussing the “violent overthrow” of the Michigan government, prompting a months-long investigation that relied heavily on confidential sources.
The group of six facing federal charges – Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta – could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of trying to kidnap Whitmer, Birge said at a news conference. previous. to announce the charges.
“Fox and Croft in particular … discussed the detonation of explosive devices to divert police from the area of the house and Fox even inspected the underside of a Michigan highway bridge looking for places to plant an explosive,” Birge said, referring to planning to target Whitmer’s house.
Birge said police arrested several of the alleged conspirators “when they were gathering on the eastern side of the state to raise funds for explosives and exchange tactical equipment.”
SCHEDULED ACTION BEFORE THE ELECTION
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel revealed additional charges against seven men affiliated with the Wolverine Watchmen militia group suspected of violating the state’s counterterrorism law by conspiring to kidnap the governor and spread violence.
“People in custody are suspected of trying to identify the home addresses of law enforcement officers to target them, making threats of violence with the intention of instigating a civil war,” said Nessel.
Nessel said a total of 19 state felony charges were brought against the seven people, including gang membership and supporting terrorist charges, as part of a broad enforcement of warrants in more than a dozen cities. .
According to the FBI’s criminal complaint, Fox had indicated on numerous occasions that he wanted to kidnap Whitmer before the November 3 national election. In a phone call recorded in June, Fox said it would try Whitmer for “treason” after taking her hostage. the complaint said.
In a June video broadcast live to a private Facebook group, Fox called Whitmer a “tyrant bitch” as she complained about the court system and restrictions against gym openings due to the coronavirus.
“I don’t know guys, we have to do something. You link to me on our other location system, give me some ideas of what we can do, ”Fox said in the video, according to the complaint.
Facebook said in a statement that it “reached out and cooperated proactively” with the investigation.
Whitmer was targeted by Trump for his efforts to enforce social distancing measures related to the coronavirus, tweeting in April: “LIBERATE MICHIGAN.”
Matthew Schneider, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, said the arrests should send a message that violence will not be tolerated.
“All of us in Michigan may disagree about politics, but those disagreements should never amount to violence,” Schneider said at the news conference. (Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut, Gabriella Borter in New York, Ted Hesson and Mark Hosenball in Washington, Katie Paul in Palo Alto, and Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
