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F.B.I. Says Michigan Militia Plotted to Kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer F.B.I. Says Michigan Militia Plotted to Kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
(32 minutes later)
Six men were arrested and accused of plotting with a militia group to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, the authorities announced on Thursday.Six men were arrested and accused of plotting with a militia group to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, the authorities announced on Thursday.
The men, some of whom the F.B.I. said had discussed overthrowing the government, had been discussing taking Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat, hostage since at least the summer, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court and unsealed on Thursday. Several of the men had talked about creating a society in which they could be “self-sufficient” and one said he wanted 200 men to storm the Statehouse in Lansing, Mich. The men, who the F.B.I. said espoused anti-government views, had talked about taking Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat, hostage since at least the summer, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court and unsealed on Thursday.
The men gathered over the summer for firearms training, combat drills and tried to make explosives, Richard J. Trask II, an F.B.I. special agent, said in the criminal complaint. In July, one of the men said the group should take Ms. Whitmer hostage and move her to a “secure location” in Wisconsin for a “trial,” the agent said. They had surveilled Ms. Whitmer’s vacation home in August and September, and they indicated that they wanted to take her hostage before the presidential election in November, Richard J. Trask II, an F.B.I. special agent, said in the criminal complaint. He said the F.B.I. believed the men were planning to buy explosives this week for their attempt.
Members of the group surveilled her vacation home in August and September, and they indicated that they wanted to take her hostage before the presidential election in November, according to the complaint. The F.B.I. said it believed that the men had planned to buy explosives this week for their attempt. Some of the information in the criminal complaint came from encrypted messages intercepted by the F.B.I., as well as undercover agents and confidential informants. Several of the men had talked about creating a society in which they could be “self-sufficient” and one said he wanted 200 men to storm the Statehouse in Lansing, Mich, the complaint said.
All six men — five of whom live in Michigan and one of whom lives in Delaware — were charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, which can carry a life sentence. More details were expected at a news conference later on Thursday with the state’s attorney general. Over the summer, the men gathered for firearms training, combat drills and tried to make explosives; in July, one of the men said the group should take Ms. Whitmer hostage and move her to a “secure location” in Wisconsin for a “trial,” the agent said.
The F.B.I. said it had learned so much about the group by intercepting encrypted messages and because it had undercover agents and confidential informants working with the group.
The six men — five of whom live in Michigan and one of whom lives in Delaware — were charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, which can carry a life sentence. More details were expected at a news conference later on Thursday with the state’s attorney general.
Ms. Whitmer has been the subject of attack from right-wing protesters for measures she imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Thousands of people gathered at the State Capitol to protest the executive orders she issued shutting down most of the state to help stop the spread of the virus that has now infected more than 145,000 Michiganders and killed more than 7,000.
In April, President Donald J. Trump openly encouraged such protests, tweeting, ““LIBERATE MICHIGAN!”
The protests featured some signs with swastikas, Confederate flags and language that advocated violence against her, including one man who carried a doll with brunette hair hanging from a noose. Many in the crowd carried semiautomatic weapons, leading some Democrats in the Legislature to call for a ban on guns in the Capitol.
Republicans in the Legislature sued Ms. Whitmer in May over the executive orders and opponents of her lockdown orders filed petitions with more than 500,000 signatures with the secretary of state last week to repeal the law that gives governors authority to declare emergencies during times of a public health crisis. The Michigan Supreme Court ruled last week that her use of the 1945 law was unconstitutional.
Mike Shirkey, the majority leader in the State Senate, wrote on Twitter that a “threat against our Governor is a threat against us all” and called the men accused of the conspiracy “traitors.”
“We condemn those who plotted against her and our government,” he wrote. “They are not patriots. There is no honor in their actions.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.