http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/26/weapons.raids.ap/COLLINSVILLE, Alabama (AP) -- Federal and state agents arrested six men and seized an arsenal of homemade hand grenades and firearms in raids Thursday, including one that forced the shutdown of a school.
The men, members of the self-styled "Alabama Free Militia," had no apparent plans to use the weapons, but the leader was described as a federal fugitive, federal authorities said.
"They just have a beef with the government, and they stockpile munitions," U.S. Attorney Alice Martin said at a news conference in Fort Payne.
Agents recovered 130 hand grenades, a grenade launcher, about 70 hand grenades rigged to be fired from a rifle, a machine gun, a short-barrel shotgun, 2,500 rounds of ammunition, explosives components, stolen fireworks and other items, said Jim Cavanaugh, regional head of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Charged in federal court with conspiracy to make a firearm were Raymond Kirk Dillard, 46; believed to be the group's leader; Adam Lynn Cunningham, 41; Bonnell Hughes, 57; Randall Garrett Cole, 22; and James Ray McElroy, 20. Michael Wayne Bobo, 30, was charged with being a drug user in possession of a firearm.
The six gave no statements as a magistrate read the charges. Five were to be given court-appointed lawyers, while Bobo was to retain his own attorney. Lawyers for the men did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
During the raids, at least five bomb teams were on hand in case explosives were found.
One of the raids in Collinsville, in northeast Alabama, was at a camper and another at a house about a quarter-mile from Collinsville School. School officials said they decided to cancel classes for about 650 students from kindergarten through 12th grade because of the swarm of police vehicles.
"We were going to delay school but because of the possibility of explosives at the residences, we felt it was safer not to have school," DeKalb Sheriff Jimmy Harris said.
Neighbors and friends of Dillard, whom they knew by a different name, said he had been living in a camper on farm property for about two years. The camper was painted with green camouflage design strewn with military items, including canteens, first aid kits, canvas or nylon sacks and military garb.
Federal authorities said he was a federal fugitive wanted in an ATF case out of Mobile from the mid-1990s.
Joanne Gunnin, who owns the property, said that Dillard was known for trying to recruit neighbors to join his militia, and that he expressed hatred for the government and illegal immigrants.
"He told a 16-year-old boy that he had to make up his mind which side he was going to be on, Americans or Mexicans," Gunnin said.
Alabama Militia
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One machine gun? Some "militia" . . . :roll:
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Errr, I have a beef with government, and I stockpile ammo..
Like a potato launcher? 2,500 rounds. In an MG. That's good for a minute or three of mayhem.
Wow, is that like conspiracy to pick your toenails? Dangerous weapons, that. I used model rockets as a kid; guess I was committing conspiracy to launch small "airline killing" objects into the sky.
What the hell are five bomb teams doing in nowheresville, Alabama? Please tell me they had to fly those guys in or make them drive from Nashville and Atlanta.
No wonder we can't find Bin Laden's corpse.
But my anti-Che shirt!
Take the sacrament, damnit, you're a teenager! Wow, liberals really hate people that can make things black and white. As in 90 day SHALL ISSUE.
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Wow, is that like conspiracy to pick your toenails? Dangerous weapons, that. I used model rockets as a kid; guess I was committing conspiracy to launch small "airline killing" objects into the sky.[/quote:3pprng6k]
Close, the BATFE tried to authorize itself to regulate model rocket engines. The courts said they were going beyond their powers.
Hmmmmm!
A group of people who don't like the federal government.
Who own guns and "stockpile" ammo.
Who belong to a "group"
Who have no intention of using their weapons to overthrow the government.
Who are a bunch of smartassess.
Damn! That sounds a lot like us.........
Honest officer.
I don't know any of those right-wing-nut-gun-crazied-crazy people...
Honest I don't!
The old guy with the beard? The ditzy little blond? The college kid? Nope! Never saw any of them before! Really!
A group of people who don't like the federal government.
Who own guns and "stockpile" ammo.
Who belong to a "group"
Who have no intention of using their weapons to overthrow the government.
Who are a bunch of smartassess.
Damn! That sounds a lot like us.........
Honest officer.
I don't know any of those right-wing-nut-gun-crazied-crazy people...
Honest I don't!
The old guy with the beard? The ditzy little blond? The college kid? Nope! Never saw any of them before! Really!
Here's the Fox story
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,268726,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,268726,00.html
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Let's be fair:
+1 One of the guys was a federal fugitive.
+1 The group had a machine gun, a sbs, and hand grenades. (I'm sure no one had a class 3 stamp and while we might not like it, these are "controlled" items & the law requires that particular "registration".)
-1 They had stolen fireworks :?: (ok leave this one off the list)
-1 Explosive components :roll: (what home owner doesn't? I have a gas can & some weed & feed and a box of laundry detergent.)
Totals out to zero by my math. Was the arrest valid? Probably, because of the first two. Is it any kind of a big deal. I seriously doubt it.
Were they forced to close the school? No. They chose to and they gave a stupid reason for choosing to - the swarm of police cars.
:?:
What do they do when there is a nasty fire or car wreck & a bunch of police cars & other emergency response vehs show up? Run & hide in the closet?... and even if they had some kind of reason to worry about explosives the school was 1/4 mile away. Were they worried about a tach nuke or what?!
+1 One of the guys was a federal fugitive.
+1 The group had a machine gun, a sbs, and hand grenades. (I'm sure no one had a class 3 stamp and while we might not like it, these are "controlled" items & the law requires that particular "registration".)
-1 They had stolen fireworks :?: (ok leave this one off the list)
-1 Explosive components :roll: (what home owner doesn't? I have a gas can & some weed & feed and a box of laundry detergent.)
Totals out to zero by my math. Was the arrest valid? Probably, because of the first two. Is it any kind of a big deal. I seriously doubt it.
Were they forced to close the school? No. They chose to and they gave a stupid reason for choosing to - the swarm of police cars.
:?:
What do they do when there is a nasty fire or car wreck & a bunch of police cars & other emergency response vehs show up? Run & hide in the closet?... and even if they had some kind of reason to worry about explosives the school was 1/4 mile away. Were they worried about a tach nuke or what?!
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This makes me a little hesitant to start my militia, because we WILL overthrow the goverment :evil:
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And now we're all guilty by association.
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Well as much as i would LOVE to lead a revolution I honestly doubt it would happen anytime soon. To many people are more bothered by american idol's sanjaya then the goverment stealing 1/3 of their pay, and telling them what they can and can't do with their own property.
To many cowards.
I think i had 1 person on here say they would join me in overthrowing the goverment
I should post on fortliberty, i think i would get a better response when i am looking to fill the ranks
To many cowards.
I think i had 1 person on here say they would join me in overthrowing the goverment
I should post on fortliberty, i think i would get a better response when i am looking to fill the ranks
...just a thought....but maybe you should not make comments like "join me in overthrowing the goverment" and " would LOVE to lead a revolution" and "we WILL overthrow the goverment" on forum aimed at democratically changing gun laws.
Those are thoughts probably best kept internalized or, at the very least, not posted here to cast everyone else in a bad light.....just a thought.
Those are thoughts probably best kept internalized or, at the very least, not posted here to cast everyone else in a bad light.....just a thought.
Oh c'mon... He's not casting anyone in a "bad light." Let the man speak, even if he is going to be visited by black helicopters and his every move documented. :wink:
NetAdmin, I would PM ya, but you know... HELICOPTERS. Maybe we can meet up someday and discuss the finer points of, um, database integration.
NetAdmin, I would PM ya, but you know... HELICOPTERS. Maybe we can meet up someday and discuss the finer points of, um, database integration.
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