Crackdown on the Far Right

Timothy McVeigh is not the only far right figure feeling the heavy hand of the law recently. Across the country numerous hate activists, some well-known, are meeting face-to-face with the legal system they abhor. These activists have connections to a wide variety of far right groups, from the shadowy, underground, Phineas Priesthood and other hard-core racist groups to the anti-government "patriots" with their militias and common-law courts.

Christian Identity minister and leader of the Christian Posse Comitatus of Pennsylvania, Mark Thomas, is in jail after pleading guilty in February to federal conspiracy charges for his part in planning a series of bank robberies in the mid-west. Thomas, an Aryan Nations promoter, is a former close associate of Floyd Cochran. Cochran toured Montana with the Human Rights Network in 1993, denouncing his past racism after leaving the Aryan Nations.

Thomas initially denied the charges that he was involved in 22 bank heists in 1994 and 1995 by white supremacists known as the Midwestern Bank Bandits or the Aryan Republic Army. Thomas has now admitted that he recruited members to the group and intended to use the money to finance the overthrow of the U.S. government.

The Reading Eagle of Reading, PA reports that Thomas cut a deal with the government and is likely to be called to testify at Timothy McVeigh's trial. Thomas denies any knowledge of the Oklahoma City bombing, but members of the Aryan Republic Army have resided at Elohim City, a white supremacist compound in Oklahoma to which McVeigh has connections. Thomas is known to have visited the compound close to the time of the bombing and is a friend of its leader, Robert Millar.

Cochran stated that although Thomas may not be directly involved with the bombing, he has long preached a message that could inspire such an act.

The aging head of the Aryan Nations compound, Richard Butler, was arrested on April 12 for trespassing as he handed out white supremacist literature at a gathering hosted by the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment in Coeur d'Alene. ID. The Aryan Nations' weekly voice mail message urged "Aryan activists" to come to the hotel hosting the anti-racism event and disrupt the meeting of "muds." After the hotel received numerous threats, the police warned Butler and his cohorts to stay on the public sidewalk. Butler was arrested when he stepped into the private parking lot. He posted $150 bond and was released.

Three alleged members of an underground cell of the Phineas Priesthood will be retried on eight domestic terrorism charges related to two bank robberies and two bombings in Spokane. (See Network News 10/96.) Verne Jay Merrell, Charles Barbee, and Robert Berry were convicted of lesser charges related to the incidents, but the jury was unable to reach consensus on more serious bank robbery and pipe bombing charges that carry mandatory life sentences. Reportedly, one of the 12 jurors held out, preventing the convictions of the men.

Phineas priests believe they are called by God to murder mixed- race couples, homosexuals, and medical doctors who perform abortions. A Planned Parenthood clinic was the target of one of their bombings.

The Indiana-based North American Volunteer Militia leader who incited Bitterroot activists to commit illegal acts, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with 10 suspended. District Court Judge Doug Harkin also imposed a $30,000 fine, and denied bail pending appeal. Holland's attorney, John Smith of Missoula, says he will appeal and challenge the constitutionality of the criminal syndicalism law on first amendment grounds.

Holland sent threatening messages to state and local officials, including one that asked how many "of your agents will be sent home in body bags before you hear the pleas of the people?" He also sent letters to over 12,000 registered voters in Ravalli County suggesting that if they were called for jury duty, they could ignore the law and "vote their conscience." In December of 1995, Holland pleaded guilty to criminal syndicalism and jury tampering.

Holland worked closely in the Bitterroot with Cal Greenup, who attended Holland's trial and sentencing. Greenup and his band, at Holland's urging, hatched a plan to hang and shoot public officials, overthrow the court system, and whisk criminal fugitives out of the valley. The plan was exposed by undercover agents.

Viper Militia

Dean Pleasant, member of the Arizona Viper Militia, was sentenced last month to six years in prison for conspiracy and weapons violations. One of ten members of the Viper Militia who pleaded guilty, Pleasant received the second longest sentence, next to the nine years given to a Vietnam veteran in the group. Twelve Viper Militia members were arrested last July, after authorities had found bomb-making ingredients in their basements, and obtained a video tape where militia members talked about how to blow up federal buildings. Ten pleaded guilty to weapons, conspiracy, and explosives charges in December. Two are preparing to go to trial.

A Washington grand jury has issued new indictments against members of the Washington State Militia for making and transporting bombs. They are expected to go to trial late in June. An earlier trial of seven militia members arrested for building pipe bombs and preparing to fight a war against the federal government, ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked on conspiracy charges. John Pitner, John Kirk, Gary Kuehnoel, and Marlin Mack were convicted on lesser weapons charges. Verdicts could not be reached on additional weapons charges for John and Judy Kirk. Judy Kirk, Benjamin Fisher, and Tracy Lee Brown were released on their own recognizance. Three members, Richard Burton, Caitlin Hansen, and Theodore Carter pleaded guilty in January and are awaiting sentencing.

The founder of Resistance Records, George Burdi, a.k.a. Eric Hawthone, is now serving time in a Canadian jail on assault charges stemming from 1993. Resistance Records is the voice of racist and skinhead bands. Burdi is the lead singer in RAHOWA, a band whose name stands for Racial Holy War, and was formerly a leader in the racist Church of the Creator in Canada. Rudy Stanko, Church of the Creator minister from Laurel, Montana, has sponsored full-page color ads in Resistance Records, inviting people to join the racist church.

Opheim farmer, Lavon T. Hanson was indicted on new charges of bank fraud and mail fraud. Hanson was arrested along with LeRoy Schweitzer at the beginning of the Freeman standoff. Originally charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in a freeman-type scheme, Hanson saw those charges dismissed recently. The new charges carry a maximum penalty for each crime of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Russell Dean Landers and James Vincent Wells, two of the Montana Freemen, were convicted in North Carolina federal court on fraud and conspiracy charges. The two passed bad checks totaling over $600,000, and tried to sue the IRS in common law courts. Landers now faces a second trial in Montana for his part in the Freeman standoff. Wells faces up to 129 years in prison and $5 million in fines. Landers faces up to 31 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines. Sentencing is scheduled for May 19.

In all, 24 Freemen are facing court dates in Montana. These include Steven C. Hance, John Hance, James Hance, Cherlyn B. and Daniel E. Petersen, Edwin F. Clark, Casey Clark, Emmett B. Clark, Richard E. Clark, Cornelius Velhuizen, LeRoy M. Schweitzer, Elwin Ward, Dale Jacobi, Jon Barry Nelson, Rodney Skurdal, and Dana Dudley who face a variety of charges including conspiracy, fraud, threatening federal officials, firearms violations, and accessory after the fact.

KKK Church Arsonists

Two South Carolina members of the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan were sentenced to 20 years in prison for the arson of two black churches. Gary Christopher Cox and Timothy Ardon Welch pleaded guilty to civil rights violations in connection with the fires that were started in June of 1995.