Daily Kos

MD- Man allegedly hoping to bomb abortion clinic foiled

Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:07:19 PM PDT

The Baltimore Sun has just posted an article about a man who was preparing to bomb the Greenbelt, Maryland clinic (this is near College Park/University of Maryland).

Article

Also note the bomb construction- "filled with nails", this points towards the possibility of eventual use against people, not merely an unoccupied building. (A tactic not altogether dissimilar to the bombing in Birmingham Eric Rudolph was sentenced for, which killed police officer Robert Sanderson and horrendously wounded Emily Lyons.)

At this point I don't have a lot to say other than this facility has long been a target.

Anyone who thinks the so called "violent phase" is "so 80's", is dreaming. Note that the man charged was 25 years old.

Tags: abortion, clinic, violence, women, bomb, Maryland (all tags) :: Previous Tag Versions

Permalink | 44 comments

  •  This is personal (21+ / 0-)

    This is a clinic I have defended.

    barf.org : a resource for all who work to monitor and counter the Biblical America movement.

    by stormcoming on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:00:47 PM PDT

  •  It's time we stopped these Christofascists... (5+ / 0-)

    and open a new front on the War on Terror.

    •  Long as we're nitpickin' (0+ / 0-)

      there's no reference to his religious affiliation in the article.

      "Everyone is tired of this man...you have to remember he is a member of a social class which has profited from wars." -Doris Lessing on Bush

      by perro amarillo on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:11:06 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  I pass that clinic often (0+ / 0-)

        A couple of weeks ago I saw a young man holding a rosary praying in front of the clinic. Rosaries are, of course, associated with Catholicism, which has been consistantly vocal in its opposition to abortion. But abortion terrorists have historically come from Protestant faiths. It's entirely possible that the man I saw was Weiler but the clinic is often the target of protest.

        •  Yes Catholics, too (2+ / 0-)

          Recommended by:
          silence, moiv

          There are a number of ongoing efforts at MD clinics, from individuals, to regular groups. In Maryland, a significant segment of our organized anti-abortion activity is catholic.

          Not all violent anti-abortion activists have been protestant by any means I'd point out James Kopp (a catholic) as example "A". He assasinated Dr. Barnett Slepian in Buffalo, NY in 1998.

          The first American hospital "invasion" (in relation to abortion provision) by anti-abortion activists was committed by a group of catholics, one of whom was Brent Bozell Jr. (NOT the III).

          Also, I wouldn't say 'catholicism' (as a whole) has been "consistantly vocal in it's opposition", as there are plenty of catholics who don't give a flying flip what Rome has to say, the church heirarchy has certainly been vehiment- in recent history, but there was a time when abortion prior to "quickening" was deemed ok. And then there's that pesky matter of "baptismal syringes", via which so long as the fetus was baptised first the abortion could go ahead.

          Never assume that just because you saw someone out in front of a clinic that that must be the person in question when it comes to things like this. Lots of people stand outside clinics with rosaries all across this nation, on any given day.

          To say nothing of the fact that as of yet, we haven't associated Mr. Weiler with ANY religious position what so ever- protestant, catholic, or zoroastrian.

          barf.org : a resource for all who work to monitor and counter the Biblical America movement.

          by stormcoming on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 05:50:54 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

        •  Protestants have no monopoly on murder (3+ / 0-)

          Recommended by:
          silence, julifolo, stormcoming
          Both James Kopp -- the "Atomic Dog" who killed Dr. Bart Slepian from ambush in 1998 -- and John Salvi -- who shot down clinic receptionists Lee Ann Nichols and Shannon Lowney in 1994 -- were Catholics.

          And on the first day that I arrived at work after the December 30, 1994 shootings, a gun-collecting Catholic protester, who came to our clinic every day in a car registered to the Diocese of Dallas, called out to me, "1994 was a year full of blood. What will 1995 be like for you?"  The FBI later arrested him in the Newark airport while he was in the act of making a bomb threat to a clinic on a public phone.

    •  While the label is accurate, plain 'Terrorist' (6+ / 0-)

      Recommended by:
      Maura in VA, x, varro, moiv, G2geek, saucy monkey

      would get more airtime to bring attention to the method behind the planned attacks. If the bomber were an Islamic fundamentalist, this would be getting a hell of a lot more airtime.

      This is the lead story on WTOP, DC's news radio.

      •  eco-terrorism vs. anti-abortion 'violence' (6+ / 0-)

        If he'd been planning to use that bomb on a Hummer dealership, we would see headlines screaming about "eco-TERRORISM."  

        Instead we will probably see a repeat performance of the old euphemism, "anti-abortion VIOLENCE" which of course is hardly as bad because in America, violence is ENTERTAINMENT.

        So Job #1 here is:  Keep pushing the media and the government on this:

        Ask them and do not let up:  Would you characterise this man as a terrorists?  No?  Why the hell not?  How does this not fit the classic definition of terrorism?  Why are you afraid of calling it terrorism?

        Keep pushing this relentlessly until they all start calling a terrorist a terrorist and acknowledging that America has its own Zarqawis running around in our midst, blowing up womens' clinics is terrorism, religiously-motivated terrorism, right-winger terrorism, terrorism that derives its legitimacy from the anti-abortion and anti-women and anti-sex rhetoric that comes down from the highest places in our own government.  

        Do not let up for one minute.  

        •  What the WaPo has to say (1+ / 0-)

          Recommended by:
          julifolo

          I actually asked Deborah Howell what she had to say about this, and got a response:

          The Post doesn't use the term very much. It prefers more specific terms. I am reminded of arguments in my own Irish household. My husband said the IRA is a terrorist organization. His sons thought they were freedom fighters. And so it is with many such cases.
          Deborah

          What's funny about the whole thing is that the Washington Post gladly shouts "Eco-Terrorism" from its headlines and hasn't had any trouble describing various Muslims as terrorists.

    •  Life in Prison (1+ / 0-)

      Recommended by:
      G2geek

      for crimes against people.

  •  According to the article, he didn't 'fail' (0+ / 0-)

    but turned himself in. Sounds like a disturbed loser to me.

    "Everyone is tired of this man...you have to remember he is a member of a social class which has profited from wars." -Doris Lessing on Bush

    by perro amarillo on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:13:09 PM PDT

  •  Recommended (3+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    moiv, stormcoming, aelurophile

    Important, newsworthy and unrelated to meta discussions of blogger anonymity or faked zarqawi deaths.  Bravo!

    "I will not rest until every year families gather to spend December 25th together at Osama's homo-abortion-pot-and-commie-jizzporium." - Jon Stewart

    by Slim Tyranny on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:14:32 PM PDT

  •  Whyizzit?? (6+ / 0-)

    that the current administration and their MSM lackeys consistently refer to the "eco-terrorists", even though the ELF and its ilk have NEVER hurt a human being, while anti-abortion terorrists can kill or maim whoever they want and still be portrayed as life-defending heroes?

    Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives. - John Stuart Mill

    by vulcangrrl on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:15:08 PM PDT

  •  Going from this one article- (6+ / 0-)

    the only thing I can cite right now.

    Here are a few important things to keep in mind-

    His friends contacted the ATF and Prince George's County (MD)police. Had they not, this story might have a horribly different ending.

    Robert F. Weiler Jr. called agents and surrendered himself. He was arrested in Garrett County- the far western part of the state. He surrendered, (and thus didn't end up part of a massive manhunt). He confessed to making the bomb and had a gun he ws planning to use the potential attack.

    And the local police and feds apparently did their job, they arrested him and tried to defuse the device.

    Unfortunately, it went off and set the house on fire.

    Fortunately, the bomb technician who was working on it wasn't injured.

    barf.org : a resource for all who work to monitor and counter the Biblical America movement.

    by stormcoming on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:19:54 PM PDT

    •  thankfully... and, re. sentence length (1+ / 0-)

      Recommended by:
      julifolo

      Thankfully the cops weren't hurt when that thing went off.  

      And the fact that it did go off proved that it was a viable bomb, which should help increase the perp's sentence.  

      Anything less than 10 years is a slap on the wrist and a permission slip to other terrorists of the same type.  

      20 would be acceptable.   Same as that Marin County kid who was found with the Al Qaedas in Afghanistan, who IMHO was hardly as serious as the present case.  

      Life w/o parole would be a strong message.  

      This should be a slam-dunk case to get a conviction, now let's keep an eye on it to see what the sentence actually turns out to be.

  •  Hate and the Right Wing (5+ / 0-)

    The mainstream right wingers need to start denouncing this hate.  The bombing and the slander has to stop.  It is extremely dangerous to our society.  Until they denounce abortion clinic bombers and Ann Coulter, they are tied to them.  Their philosophy is tied to the hate.  

  •  WTOP (0+ / 0-)

    You can listen live from here

    And this is their webarticle.

    barf.org : a resource for all who work to monitor and counter the Biblical America movement.

    by stormcoming on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:26:47 PM PDT

  •  He's a terrorist, plain and simple (2+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    rockhound, julifolo

    Zealots and fundamentalists are dangerous whether they're in Iraq or Afghanistan or Maryland.

    I'm not surprised at this, given the way the crazy fringe has been whipped up into a frenzy on this issue.

    The country we carry in our hearts is waiting. -- Bruce Springsteen

    by saucy monkey on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:27:28 PM PDT

    •  He's only a 'terrorist' if the 'Liberal Media' (3+ / 0-)

      Recommended by:
      silence, moiv, julifolo, G2geek

      ...label him as one. Seeing as the Liberal Media isn't, this isn't likely to happen until we get one of our pundits on the airwaves to apply the label to him.

      I just sent this off to KO and the team at Countdown:

      Good Evening,

      Some of us were thinking that a man planning on using a bomb filled with nails on an abortion clinic should be labelled as a terrorist because he planned to kill and maim using the nails. The MSM seems to have failed to apply that label to him. Any chance Keith might call out the hypocrisy on this?

      thanks and keep up the good work.

      •  Well, from the Baltimore Sun article (3+ / 0-)

        Recommended by:
        x, moiv, julifolo

        He told authorities that he would use a .40-caliber handgun he stole from a friend to "shoot doctors who provided abortions" the affidavit states.

        As for the role of the nails, that's MY personal speculation- as I said in the above-

        Also note the bomb construction- "filled with nails", this points towards the POSSIBILITY of eventual use against people, not merely an unoccupied building.

        barf.org : a resource for all who work to monitor and counter the Biblical America movement.

        by stormcoming on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:54:25 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  WTOP uses the term 'IED'... (2+ / 0-)

        Recommended by:
        x, silence

        ..."Improvised Explosive Device" - which is inflammatory in its own right (unless you're Fred Phelps), since items like that are used to kill U.S. troops.

        But that man is a terrorist, and I hope everyone talking about this story refers to him as one.

        9-11 changed everything? Well, Katrina changed it back.

        by varro on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 04:54:06 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  Sorry (2+ / 0-)

          Recommended by:
          moiv, G2geek

          The Washington Post studiously avoids the term, despite their ready willingness to call Muslims and those thought to be acting out of environmental concern terrorists.

          It might be worth your while to let the ombudsman know what you feel about their policy.

          •  email sent (2+ / 0-)

            Recommended by:
            silence, julifolo

            As follows:

            Re. story by Klein & Rich, 9 June 2006 MD Abortion Clinic Was Targeted, ATF Says  

            When some sicko kid vandalizes Hummers at a car dealership, that's "eco-TERRORISM," and when some sicko kid is talking about bombs and jihad that's "Islamic TERRORISM," but when another sicko kid makes an anti-personnel bomb and has plans to use it to blow up an abortion clinic and shoot doctors, that's only "anti-abortion VIOLENCE."  

            I've been seeing this kind of thing for a while now; I smell a double-standard here and it stinks to high heaven.  

            What's your definition of "terrorism" and "terrorist"?   Why don't you apply those words to the present case?   I really want an answer to this, and what I want more than that is for you to stop the double-standard and deal with the issue.  

            If it makes bombs like a terrorist, and it blows up stuff like a terrorist, and it kills people like a terrorist, it's not a duck, it's a terrorist.  What's so difficult about using words consistently?  Or are you still in denial that we have a real home-grown terrorist threat on our hands?  

            Sincerely-
            (signed)

      •  email address to write to? (0+ / 0-)


        Could you provide an email address for KO so we can write to him w/o having to dig through websites first?  

        Since KO is a friendly, a few more emails from people here might be helpful to get him on the case.  

  •  Religious extremism (0+ / 0-)

    is the enemy of us all.  And yes, I know his religious affiliation is unknown.  But does anyone doubt that his obsession with abortion is grounded in religous zealotry?

    "I cherished my hate like a badge of moral superiority." - Mark Rudd

    by Bob Love on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:32:07 PM PDT

  •  Needless To Say (0+ / 0-)

    I'm sure we'll start hearing the "he's a good Christian" narratives shortly.

    They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time, it works every time. -- Brian Fantana

    by IndyScott on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:33:03 PM PDT

  •  TREAT HIM LIKE A TERRORIST (5+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    claude, NYFM, rockhound, WV Democrat, G2geek

    Because that's what he is.  I want him thrown in jail for life without parole. That is what happens to middle eastern terrorists arrested just for thinking about doing harm.

  •  Washington Post article (0+ / 0-)

    This from the Washington Post details the bomb technicians from the Prince George's County fire department set off the device remotely.

    No surprise there.

    barf.org : a resource for all who work to monitor and counter the Biblical America movement.

    by stormcoming on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 03:41:45 PM PDT

  •  unproductive assumptions (2+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    carneasadaburrito, G2geek

    It's not productive at this point to go flinging around words like "Right wing" or "Christofascists" UNLESS you've got a citation to back that up.

    Speaking merely as someone who has spent well, at this point decades watching these stories unfold, patience in these matters is a virtue. Jumping to unsubstantiated labels just makes you LOOK quick to project your own assumptions (yes, I understand the history here). In short, what I'm saying is if you don't know, don't assume.

    Now, I've never run across a lefty clinic bomber wanna be in all my years, all I'm saying is 1. it's productive at this point, to wait until you know what you're talking about before flinging around labels, and 2. get on the media and demand they cover the story.

    I will point out one major shift I see here- WTOP (which is owned by Bonneville, which in turn is owned by a subsidiary of the Mormon church- although that's not particularly relevant to their reporting per se)has done one very important small thing. They've reported the 'bomb' in the most accurate terminology I've seen used to date-

    Improvised Explosive Device or IED

    Can you say, making the connections for the DC listeners?

    barf.org : a resource for all who work to monitor and counter the Biblical America movement.

    by stormcoming on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 04:18:48 PM PDT

  •  Christian Terrorism. (5+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    x, silence, moiv, julifolo, G2geek

    Evidently the Rethugs and fundie Christians who trumpeted the moral failings of the United States and wasted two days of Senate time with their Bigotry Amendment didn't notice the plank in their own eye.

    For all the hemming and hawing over so-called "ecoterrorists," they haven't killed anyone.  Christian terrorists like Eric Rudolph, Paul Hill, and Michael Griffin have killed people, and like-minded extremists can only be called one thing - terrorists.

    9-11 changed everything? Well, Katrina changed it back.

    by varro on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 04:49:47 PM PDT

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