FBI Conducts Raids On Militia Group – Updated

UPDATED: At least seven people, including some from Michigan, have been arrested in raids by a FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana as part of an investigation into a Christian militia group, according to a this report from DetNews.com.

The suspects are expected to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Monday.

On Sunday, the FBI confirmed that federal law enforcement agents were conducting activities in Washtenaw and Lenawee counties over the weekend in connection to Hutaree, a Christian militia group. FBI Special Agent Sandra Berchtold told The Detroit News the federal warrants in the case are under court seal and declined further comment.

Sources have said the FBI was in the second day of raids around the southeastern Michigan city of Adrian that are connected to a militia group, known as the Hutaree, an group whose members describe themselves as Christian soldiers who are preparing for the arrival and battle with the anti-Christ.

Read Full Article – The Detroit News:

UPDATE: Federal sweep may have foiled anti-Muslim plot

Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on Islamic-American Relations of Michigan, on Sunday said that the FBI foiled a plot to attack and kill Muslim-Americans.

Walid was attending the group’s 10th anniversary banquet in Dearborn, Michigan where the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson was keynote speaker.

Muslim leaders in Chicago are “following developments of the arrests with great interest and concern,” says Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR Chicago.

“If some of the initial reports are true. Then, these radical groups are a chilling indication that anti-Muslim hysteria in some circles may be developing into stages of organized terroristic activity,” Rehab said Sunday night.

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Below is a roundup of a few of the stories.

The FBI was conducting raids Saturday night at multiple locations in southeast Michigan.

Action News has learned Homeland Security and the Joint Anti-terrorism Task Force is also involved in a major operation.

Federal officials would not say who they were targeting or where, but the FBI has set up a command center at the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department in Ann Arbor, where they have brought in two satellite trucks and a radio tower.

Agents have also obtained search warrants and multiple arrests have been made

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Police, federal agents in raids in Sandusky, Huron

A battalion of local officers and federal agents flooded the Bayshore Estates neighborhood Saturday afternoon.

A second raid was conducted in Huron. An FBI agent at the scene of the Bayshore Estates raid said a second, related raid was taking place at “another location.” Huron police confirmed late Saturday a raid had taken place in that city, but would say nothing more.

Likewise, FBI agents at the scene and at the Cleveland field office are staying mum on the cause of the commotion.

“We did make some arrests,” said special agent Scott Wilson of the FBI’s Cleveland office.

He said the warrants were sealed in federal court and he could not release any information until after the suspects appear in court Monday.

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FBI agents raid Hammond location

Hammond police assisted with an FBI raid Saturday evening in the Indiana city, but federal officials would not release any details.

Hammond officials did not know the circumstances surrounding the raid, which began about 7 p.m. and lasted two hours, said a police dispatcher.

The raid occurred on the 1900 block of Calumet Avenue, the dispatcher said. There were no injuries reported.

He said police were not notified ahead of time and only provided traffic control.

“We didn’t even know about it until they said, ‘hey we need your guys,'” he said.

A representative at the Chicago office of the FBI had no comment Saturday night, saying details might be available Sunday.

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Lenawee counties tied to Michigan militia group

The FBI conducted raids Saturday night in the Washtenaw and Lenawee county area in an investigation involving members of Hutaree, a Christian-oriented militia group based in Lenawee County, AnnArbor.com has learned.

The nature of those raids has not been made public. FBI Special Agent Jason Pack, who is based in Washington, D.C., said he did not know how many people were taken into custody. Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, could not be reached today.

Michigan militia members assist in the recent search for a missing Bridgewater Township man.

“I can confirm that there is ongoing law enforcement activity in the Ann Arbor general area,” Pack said in a written statement. “Since the federal warrants are under court ordered seal, legally we cannot provide further comment at this time.”

Local Michigan militia member Jimmy Schiel said he was told five people were arrested – including one known member of Hutaree. Schiel said the raid occurred at service for a Hutaree member who died recently, and about eight Hutaree members were present. Schiel, who said he was invited but did not attend, said he spoke to a Hutaree member who was at the service.

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