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Thirteen people have been arrested in a broad takedown of alleged plots to kidnap the Michigan governor, attack the State Capitol building and incite violence.
Gretchen Whitmer, the governor who was allegedly targeted by the group, has linked the parcels with Donald Trump, saying his earlier comments had been a “battle cry.”
Seven of the defendants have been found to be associated with the “boogaloo” movement, whose self-described members have said they seek to incite a second American civil war.
Here we take a look at the details of the alleged parcels in Michigan.
Who are the people who supposedly wanted to kidnap Ms. Whitmer and attack the State Capitol building??
Gretchen Whitmer has said that “hatred, bigotry and violence have no place in the state of Michigan.” Stock Image
Six of the suspects, named Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta, were arrested Wednesday and face life in prison if convicted.
They were charged with conspiring to overthrow the Michigan government and kidnap its governor.
Apparently they had been training with seven militiamen, who planned to target law enforcement and attack the State Capitol building.
It is unclear if the first group has a name, but the seven militiamen who were also arrested are associated with the Wolverine Watchmen group.
Wolverine Watchmen believes in the so-called “boogaloo” movement, which is primarily dedicated to rooting out the government and killing law enforcement officials.
Those who describe themselves as members of the boogaloo movement have committed acts of violence and killed police officers in the United States in recent months, often in an attempt to ignite what they believe will be a second civil war.
Who is the Governor of Michigan?
Gretchen Whitmer has been a Democratic governor of Michigan since 2019.
The 49-year-old woman was praised for her response to the coronavirus outbreak after she imposed significant restrictions on personal movement and the economy.
However, he has also been the target of extreme criticism from far-right groups for his handling of the pandemic.
Whitmer has linked the alleged plot to kidnap her to the rhetoric of US President Donald Trump.
Just hours after the arrests were announced Thursday, he said the president’s words had been a “battle cry” for extremists.
“When our leaders speak, their words matter,” said Ms. Whitmer. “They carry weight.”
So far, there is no indication in the criminal complaint that the arrested men were inspired by Trump.
People gather on the steps of the Capitol to voice their opposition to Ms. Whitmer’s coronavirus measures earlier this year.
Why did the six men want to kidnap Ms. Whitmer?
The FBI has quoted one of the defendants as saying that Ms. Whitmer “has no check or balance. She has uncontrolled power right now. All good things must come to an end.”
In a video broadcast live to a private Facebook group in June, Fox was seen complaining about the court system and restrictions against gym openings due to COVID-19.
According to a criminal complaint, he said, “I don’t know guys, we have to do something. You guys link with me on our other location system, give me some ideas of what we can do.”
The criminal complaint read: “Fox said that after abducting the governor, the group would move her to a safe place in Wisconsin for ‘trial.’
How was the group supposedly planning to carry out the kidnapping?
The suspects are said to have planned the kidnapping for months.
They are even said to have rehearsed the attack in August and September, having trained with the Wolverine Watchmen group.
Fox and Croft have been accused of being the ringleaders, and Susan Samples of WOODTV in Grand Rapids, Michigan, posted images of a basement where Fox lived on Twitter.
At a July 27 meeting, Fox and an insider are said to have discussed a possible abduction of Ms. Whitmer, with the defendant allegedly saying, “Snatch and grab, man. Get the fucking governor. Just get the b *** * Because at that point, we do that, buddy, it’s over. “
Fox had initially said he needed 200 men to storm the Capitol building in Lansing and take hostages, including the governor, the FBI said.
It is claimed that he wanted to execute the plan before the US presidential election on November 3.
However, later the group shifted their focus to the governor’s vacation home.
Prosecutors have said that two members of the group had discussed detonating explosive devices to divert police from Ms. Whitmer’s residence.
Prosecutors allege that one of the two men had even searched the underside of a bridge for places to plant an explosive.
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How did the FBI foil the alleged plot?
The arrests stemmed from an FBI-led investigation that began in March and focused on militia groups discussing the “violent overthrow” of certain government and law enforcement officials.
Informants and undercover agents were used to prevent the alleged plot from taking place.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told a news conference: “Our efforts revealed elaborate plans to endanger the lives of law enforcement officers, government officials and the general public.”
What is the president saying?
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Donald Trump “has continually condemned white supremacists and all forms of hate.”
“Governor Whitmer is sowing division by making these outrageous accusations. America stands together against hatred and supports our federal police who stopped this plot.”
The President later tweeted: “Michigan Governor Whitmer has done a terrible job. She closed her state to everyone except her husband’s boating activities. The federal government was a great help to the Great People of Michigan. My Department of Justice and Federal Law Enforcement announced today that they thwarted a dangerous plot against the Governor of Michigan. Instead of thanking, she calls me a white supremacist, while Biden and the Democrats refuse to condemn Antifa, anarchists, looters and mobs burning cities ruled by Democrats …
“… I do not tolerate ANY extreme violence. Standing up for ALL Americans, even those who oppose and attack me, is what I will always do as your President! Governor Whitmer: Open Your State, Open Your Schools, Open Your Churches ! “
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