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Agents thwarted an impressive plot to kidnap Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, authorities said by announcing the charges in an alleged scheme that involved months of planning and even trials to snatch her from her vacation home.
Six men were charged in federal court in the United States with conspiring to kidnap the governor in reaction to what they considered her “uncontrolled power,” according to a federal complaint.
On the other hand, seven others linked to a paramilitary group called Wolverine Watchmen were indicted in a state court for allegedly trying to storm the Michigan Capitol and seek a “civil war.”
The two groups trained together and planned “various acts of violence,” according to state police.
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Rehearsals for the kidnapping plot took place in August and September, according to an FBI affidavit, and four of the men had planned to meet Wednesday to “make a payment for explosives and exchange tactical equipment.”
The FBI quoted one of the men as saying that Whitmer “has no check or balance. She has uncontrolled power right now. All good things must come to an end. “
Authorities said the schemes were stopped with the work of undercover agents and informants. The men were arrested on Wednesday night (local time). All six defendants in federal court face life in prison if convicted. The state terrorism charges facing the other seven men carry a possible 20-year sentence.
Andrew Birge, the US attorney for western Michigan, called the men “violent extremists.”
State of Michigan / AP
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer complies after the charges were announced.
“All of us in Michigan may disagree on politics, but those disagreements should never, never amount to violence. Today violence has been prevented, ”Detroit federal prosecutor Matthew Schneider told reporters.
A few hours later, Whitmer blamed US President Donald Trump, noting that he did not condemn white supremacists in last week’s debate with Joe Biden and instead told a far-right group that ” back off and stay alert. “
“The hate groups heard the president’s words not as a reprimand but as a rallying cry, as a call to action,” Whitmer said.
The White House called Whitmer’s remarks “outlandish.”
Whitmer, who was considered Biden’s running mate, has been widely praised for her response to the coronavirus, but she has also come under fire from Republican lawmakers and people in conservative areas of the state. The Capitol has been the scene of many demonstrations, including some with armed protesters calling for his removal.
Whitmer imposed significant restrictions on personal movement and the economy, although many of those limits have been lifted since the spring. The governor has traded criticism with Trump on social media, with the president declaring in April, “FREE MICHIGAN!”
AP
Whitmer criticized Trump after the charges were announced, saying “words matter.”
There is no indication in the criminal complaint that the men were inspired by Trump. Authorities have also not said publicly whether the men were angry at Whitmer’s coronavirus orders.
The criminal complaint identified the six defendants in the plot against Whitmer as Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta, all from Michigan and Barry Croft from Delaware. All but Croft appeared in federal court in Grand Rapids Thursday. They requested court-appointed attorneys and were sent back to jail to await arrest hearings on Tuesday.
Fox, who was described as one of the leaders, lived in the basement of a vacuum cleaner store in Grand Rapids. The owner said Fox was opposed to wearing a mask during the pandemic and kept firearms and ammunition in the store.
“He was anti-police, anti-government,” Brian Titus told WOOD-TV. “He was afraid that if he did not defend the Second Amendment and his rights, the country would turn into communism and socialism.”
The government said the plot against Whitmer appeared to have its roots in a June meeting in Dublin, Ohio, attended by more than a dozen people from various states, including Croft and Fox.
“The group talked about creating a society that would follow the United States Bill of Rights and where they could be self-reliant,” said the FBI affidavit. “They discussed different ways to achieve this goal, from peaceful efforts to violent actions. … Several members spoke about assassinating ‘tyrants’ or ‘taking’ an acting governor. “
The seven men charged in state court are charged with identifying law enforcement houses and making violent threats “with the intent to instigate a civil war,” said Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Michigan Governor’s Office / AP
Whitmer has been praised but also deeply criticized for the state’s response to the coronavirus, which imposed a severe restriction on personal movement across the state and on the economy.
They were identified as Paul Bellar, 21, of Milford; Shawn Fix, 38, of Belleville; Eric Molitor, 36, of Cadillac; Michael Null, 38, of Plainwell; William Null, 38, of Shelbyville; Pete Musico, 42, and Joseph Morrison, 42, who live together in Munith.
According to the affidavit, Musico and Morrison are founding members of the Wolverine Watchmen, which authorities described as “a group of anti-government and anti-processor militias.”
The Watchmen have met periodically for firearms and tactical training in remote areas “to prepare for the ‘boogaloo,’ a term that refers to a violent uprising against the government or an impending civil war for political reasons,” wrote the State Police Detective Sergeant Michael Fink in an affidavit.
Some boogaloo promoters insist that they are not genuinely advocating violence. But the boogaloo has been linked to a recent series of domestic terrorism plots, including the arrests of three Nevada men accused of conspiring to incite violence during protests in Las Vegas.
Boogaloo supporters have shown up in protests against Covid-19 lockdown orders and racial injustice, carrying rifles and wearing tactical gear over Hawaiian shirts.
Michigan became known for its anti-government paramilitary activities in the mid-1990s, when various loosely affiliated groups began organizing and training in rural areas. They used shortwave radio, news bulletins, and early Internet connections to spread a message of resistance to what they claimed was a conspiracy to impose a world government and confiscate weapons.
They gained notoriety after reports emerged that Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, convicted in the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, had met with members of the group, although their connections were murky.
“That old world of the military is still there, but it’s been a long time,” said JJ MacNab, a member of the Extremism Program at George Washington University.
Nonetheless, rallies at the Michigan Capitol against Whitmer’s shutdown orders were recruiting events for such groups, said MacNab, who monitors their activity on social media.
