ADRIAN, Mich. (WXYZ) – The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are all involved in raids around Adrian that may be connected to a militia group.
The FBI conducted multiple raids throughout Saturday and into Sunday, with one of them centered on a property where known members of a militia live. The land is owned by a man who lives in a house on the property. His sons live in two mobile homes that are also on the property. Saturday’s raids were concentrated on those mobile homes. …
Federal agents will not comment on the investigation, only saying that they are serving a number of search warrants and that the warrants are sealed. Action News has learned that an unknown number of arrests have also been made. An unconfirmed report indicated that at least six people were arrested coming into Michigan from Ohio.
Members of a number of militia groups say that the raids are connected to raids in Indiana and Ohio. However, the FBI has not confirmed that.
The report obviously does not mention the Tea Party, and neither did another from AnnArbor.com, which pointed to a Michigan cell of a Christian militia called Hutaree.
Local Michigan militia member Jimmy Schiel said he was told five people were arrested – including one known member of Hutaree. Schiel said the five were reportedly arrested during a raid at a service in the Ann Arbor area for a Hutaree member who died recently. Schiel was told about eight Hutaree members were present. Schiel, who said he was invited but did not attend, spoke to a Hutaree member who was at the service, he said.
But a post to Tea Party Patriots: Official Home of the American Tea Party Movement looks to take some credit:
FBI raids Tea Party Compound.
Posted by Jim Randleman on March 28, 2010 at 11:07am in UncategorizedFBI raids Tea Party Compound.
annarborchronicle.com —
Several media outlets report that the FBI conducted raids on Saturday night and Sunday morning at several locations in Washtenaw and Lenewee counties in Michigan. Homeland Security and the Joint Anti-terrorism Task Force are also involved in the raids on a Tea Party Compound.
It remains to be seen if there is a genuine connection, but the Tea Party movement is riddled with this patriot militia, sovereign citizen type extremism, which they keep trying to deny.
Not to worry. FoxNews tells us:
Seven people have been arrested for allegedly selling pipe bombs in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, Fox News has learned.
The arrests and raids in Michigan and Indianapolis are related to alleged militia activity in the region, but are not related to international terrorism. There is not a current threat to the public, according to a law enforcement source.
Whew, it’s not international terrorism. It’s just the next Oklahoma City.
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