Just two days after a white supremacist terrorist bomber was arrested by the F.B.I. here in Washington, an anti-government terrorist group plotting to kill or kidnap Alaska State Troopers and a Federal Judge were arrested in Fairbanks Alaska.
Five charged in alleged plot to kidnap or kill troopers, judge
By CASEY GROVE casey.grove@adn.com
Published: March 11th, 2011 12:12 PM
Last Modified: March 11th, 2011 12:13 PM
Five people in the Fairbanks area were arrested Thursday by state and federal law enforcement on charges connected with an alleged plot to kidnap or kill state troopers and a Fairbanks judge, according to the Alaska State Troopers.
An investigation "revealed extensive plans to kidnap or kill Alaska state troopers and a Fairbanks judge," the statement said. The plans included "extensive surveillance" on the homes of two Fairbanks troopers, the statement said.
"Investigation also revealed that extensive surveillance on troopers in the Fairbanks area had occurred, specifically on the locations of the homes for two Alaska state troopers," the statement said. "Furthermore, Cox et. al. had acquired a large cache of weapons in order to carry out attacks against their targeted victims. Some of the weapons known to be in the cache are prohibited by state or federal law."
Cox, a vocal proponent of Americans' right to bear arms, had earlier vowed to defy what he described as an illegitimate and overbearing government.
The sovereign citizen movement is characterized by a rejection of U.S. laws and taxes. In general, participants believe that federal, state and local statutes and laws do not apply to them.
Media Matters has some background information on this terrorist group's leader.
UPDATE: Video Shows Alaska Militia Leader's Courtroom Theatrics
Last year, Cox was arrested on a misdemeanor firearms charge. During a December 10, 2010 pre-trial hearing before District Judge Jane Kauva, Cox made this statement: "There are a lot of people out there who would just as soon come and kill you in your home at night as argue with you in your court by day."
His comments were captured in a video espousing Sovereign Citizen ideology that was circulated among right-wing groups online.
Earlier in the same pre-trial hearing, Cox said in open court:
"Soulless federal assassins have made threats on the lives of my wife and children. This, coupled with your long established and well documented practice of refusing to ascertain the truth leaves me but one inescapable conclusion: You are rebellious impostors to reduce [sic] us under absolute despotism."
The following week, Cox returned to the Fairbanks court house and tried to serve a different judge with a sovereign citizen arrest warrant.
Then we have the spectacle of fellow Alaskan, Sarah Palin shrilly castigating union protesters 2,800 miles away in Wisconsin for violent rhetoric, while a bunch of far right wing wackos are getting hauled in by the F.B.I. for a campaign of political murders and kidnappings just up the highway from where Palin was speaking!
TPM.
Well, it is these union bosses' responsibility to turn down the rhetoric and start getting truth out there so that nobody gets hurt
This is the second violent campaign of Right Wing Terrorism foiled in Washington and Alaska in as many months.
More diaries on the violent Far Right:
Spokane MLK Day Bomber Harpham was a member of National Alliance white supremacist group
Haven for violent hate speech Fox Nation accuses pro-union demonstrators of hate speech
NPR story fits some pieces of the Loughner puzzle together
Domestic Terrorist bomb attack on Spokane MLK Day Parade foiled
This comes from the Southern Poverty Law Center
The 'Patriot' Movement Timeline
I have to wonder if these are the first ripples of a coming surge of far right wing anti government terror attacks. If that proves to be the case I don't expect Steve King's focus will shift away from American Muslims, to the violent "Patriot Movement" and the "Sovereign Citizens" Movement (which I think Jared Loughner was involved in).