GA Terrorism Suspects Allegedly Wanted To Make Fox Expert's Blood-Soaked Novel A Reality
November 02, 2011 7:59 am ET by Matt Gertz
Four alleged members of a Georgia militia group were
arrested yesterday relating to their alleged plot to kill numerous government
officials. According to the complaint, one of the arrested repeatedly cited as
the source of their plan the novel Absolved, authored by Fox News expert Mike
Vanderboegh, the former militia member famous for urging his blog readers to
hurl bricks through the windows of Democratic offices.
In Vanderboegh's novel, which was self-published online, underground militia fighters declare war on the federal government over gun control laws and same-sex marriage, leading to a second American revolution. In the introduction to Absolved, Vanderboegh calls the book "a cautionary tale for the out-of-control gun cops of the ATF" and "a combination field manual, technical manual and call to arms for my beloved gunnies of the armed citizenry."
The Alabama-based blogger was one of the first to report on the ATF's failed Operation Fast and Furious. He has since promoted a variety of absurd conspiracy theories about the story.
In recent months, Fox News has mainstreamed Vanderboegh, treating him as an expert on the ATF's Operation Fast and Furious, featuring him in cable and online reports and identifying him as an "online journalist" and an "authority on the Fast and Furious investigation." Fox has not acknowledged Vanderboegh's extremist views, actions, and affiliations.
The self-proclaimed Toccoa, Georgia-based "covert group" was allegedly plotting to obtain explosives and silencers and to manufacture ricin, a biological agent. According to the complaint, the group planned to target for assassination numerous government officials, including judges and employees of the Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service.
The complaint alleges that at an April meeting one of the accused, Frederick Thomas, said he "intended to model their actions on the plot of an online novel called Absolved":
THOMAS also explained to the others present that he intended to model their actions on the plot of an online novel called Absolved. The plot of Absolved involves small groups of citizens attacking United States federal law enforcement representatives and federal judges. THOMAS expressed his belief that they should consider a number of assassinations on various government officials, and he particularly expressed a desire to kill Department of Justice (DOJ) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees.
The complaint also alleges that at a prior meeting, Thomas "mentioned a fictional novel he had read on-line in which an anti-government group killed a large number of federal Department of Justice attorneys, and then he stated, 'Now of course, that's just fiction, but that's a damn good idea.' " Thomas also allegedly linked his plan to Absolved during a June 9 meeting.
According to the complaint, in May, Thomas and a confidential government source traveled to Atlanta and "conducted surveillance" on ATF and IRS offices "to plan and assess for possible attacks," with Thomas discussing obtaining explosives and the best way to blow up the buildings. The complaints allege that from June through November, Thomas and defendant Dan Roberts negotiated the purchase of explosives from an undercover agent. The government also alleged that in October, the other two members of the group described to the confidential source plans to manufacture ricin and disburse it in U.S. cities.
Roberts' complaint describes the defendents as "members of a fringe group of a known militia organization, with the fringe group calling itself the 'covert group.' " According to FBI sources, the "known militia organization" is the Georgia Militia, a statewide militia with at least a dozen active chapters, or "battalions" according to its website. The Georgia Militia website identifies Toccoa resident Dan Roberts as both a "Captain" and the commanding officer of the Toccoa-based 440th Squad. Emails to address listed for Roberts were not immediately returned.
In a post to his blog yesterday evening, Vanderboegh linked to an article about the arrests, commenting, "Pretty geriatric 'militia.' What does ricin have to do with 'saving the Constitution'? The only idiots I ever heard interested in ricin were neoNazis."
In his "Internet Introduction" to the novel, Vanderborgh wrote that that Absolved is "a cautionary tale for the out-of-control gun cops of the ATF," and explained:
For that warning to be credible, I must also present what amounts to a combination field manual, technical manual and call to arms for my beloved gunnies of the armed citizenry. They need to know how powerful they could truly be if they were pushed into a corner.
Vanderboegh portrays himself as preparing for the unfortunate day when the events in Absolved may come to pass (though he says that "another civil war in this country is the last thing I want.") He is a leader of the Three Percenters, a group which claims to represent the three percent of gun owners who "who will not disarm, will not compromise and will no longer back up at the passage of the next gun control act" but will instead, "if forced by any would-be oppressor, ... kill in the defense of ourselves and the Constitution."
Vanderboegh has suggested that those who tried to push the licensing and registration of firearms would be "proposing the next American civil war" because the Three Percenters "would kill anyone who tried to further restrict our God-given liberty."
The complaint details a similar scenario described by Thomas:
THOMAS described a scenario in which he felt would be the "line in the sand" that would result in the activation of militias. THOMAS believed that soon, during a protest action, a protestor would be shot. It is his opinion the militias would act and respond by openly attacking the police. He then openly discussed having complied what he called the "Bucket List" which is a list of government employees, politicians, corporate leaders and members of the media he feels needed to be "taken out" to make the country right again."
Last year, Vanderboegh posted on his blog what he described as a report on his book by the Kansas City Regional Terrorism Early Warning Group, an organization of local, state, and federal law enforcement working with public and private parties to detect and respond to terrorist threats. The report stated:
The stories told by Vanderboegh show that many in the U.S. harbor a belief that the U.S. government is planning, or will plan, a confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens. The degree to which he glorifies the killing of law enforcement personnel involved in fictional gun raids also shows the extent many will go to spread their ideology. Vanderboegh's and other works of literature have the possibility to inspire those with extremist beliefs to carry out similar attacks depicted in the writings.
The report described Vanderboegh's novel as "very similar" to National Alliance founder William Pierce's The Turner Diaries, which depicts a U.S. race war in the near future and may have inspired Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. Vanderboegh took issue with the characterization, writing,
Yeah, except the whole race war terrorism thing where the Nazis win in the end and fantasize about hanging "race traitors" like me. Yeah, all except for that. Here's the main difference. Pierce was trying to start a war, I'm trying to prevent one.
David Holthouse contributed additional reporting to this article.
To curb out of control gun violence, even less gun control.
Their answer for an oil rig explosion that creates a slick the size of Alaska, deregulate the oil industry and drill more.
Republicans in congress refuses to bring up a single jobs bill for a vote and FOXPAC scolds the 9 congressmen who don't vote to re-affirm "In God we trust" as America's motto
What the hell is wrong with the morons who listen to these people?
I, too, do not hold this guy responsible for the whackadoos' plot. I do hold him responsible for speaking their language and feeding their worst emotions.
NAZIS WERE LEFTYS!!!!
It wouldn't surprise me to hear the "Leftist Nazi" crazy talk from him.
And I would like to hear more about his self-described "race traitor" status.
"GA Patriots Fed up with Fed! Look to Inspirational Book to Take Country Back from OBAMACARE!"
Now it's fair and balanced. :-P
he'd NEVER get 'witch' correct much less the entire word.
:)
Not so easy a redneck caveman can not do it.
Right Wing Nut and Gun owner Sarah Palin was not afraid to go to public meetings, and she made it all the way to being Mayor, Governor and VP Candidate in the National Elections.
That is pretty dam "dangerous" for this nation and downright frightening.
The McCain Camp gave the Wing Nut faction national legitimacy.
They not only opened the cage door, they picked out one of them for his VP.
And the rest is history.
Now, having said all that, I also have to say that your statement in more accurate than many realize.
For every gun owner that you see at a public meeting there are 10-20 or more that absolutely would not ever attend a public meeting or rally to be publicly known as a gun owner.
Can't we come up with a new word for "published"? Traditionally, in order for one to be "published", one would at least have to find a couple people with significant financial wherewithal who agreed that what was written was worthy of the investment of ink and paper, maybe even a little cardboard if it was to be a hardcover book. But just knowing how to use FTP and a username/password? I mean, by the level of those standards, I could say I once published a short story. In second grade. On a Big Chief tablet with a fat number 2 pencil.
What is important, however, is the legal import of the verb "to publish". With the act of publishing comes a measure of responsibility for the material published - the nature of which depends on the jurisdiction. Additionally, it is salutary to inform/remind adolescents and arrested adolescents that everything they put on line is effectively published and perceptions of privacy are unwarranted. Victims of the Murdoch tabloids in the U.K. (and God knows where else) have learnt the hard way that messages left on mobile phones are effectively published.
The act of publishing, as the word implies, means making it available to the public. This, of course, must include posting self-indulgent twaddle on your, or anyone else's website. Material posted in the mistaken belief that it is not available to the general public is published when someone hacks in and shares it. This is why I regard any material posted online as having been published, either intentionally or potentially.
I advise everyone I deal with to assume that whatever they send by email, post on line or leave as voicemail be considered as having been published as all have the potential to be hacked. I still prefer a good lunch as the ideal vehicle for important business. If you cultivate a favourite restaurateur you can usually get access to a private room if necessary, but I prefer "hiding in plain sight".
just fyi - a thumbs down on your comment DOES NOT equate to being happy about people dying.
It seems to me that the thumber was implying that the whackjobs should be left alone to carry out their plots, and d@mn the consequences. At least nobody's liberties were infringed upon, such as the big bad gummint stepping in and stopping the carnage.
Right, thumber?
Is that fish I smell, or is it more rodent?
One of those things that falls under 'life aint fair' heading... its impossible to have any sort of freedom and still prevent every human caused tragedy.
Now do not go thinking I am indifferent... oh NO NO NO... but the fact of the matter is; you can not legislate stupidity and nature. There will always be some sort of tragedy so long as there is 'nature' and we self-aware opportunist humans exist in it.
Now, what we attempt to do is 'prevent' tragedy, which is great, but at what cost? This is where the arguments begin - the cost, not the ideology.
So what 'cost' do you propose? MY civil Liberties? or HIS tax money? or THEY abandon THEIR ideology?
The reality is, as much as I would like to prevent every future tragedy, I will NOT abandon EVERYTHING for that 'prevention', even if they ignorantly try to make me think they could 'guaranteed' it to work.
This usually means being I am perceived as 'heartless' at times - but I say 'realistic when dealing with impossible circumstances'.
Lets look at the recent changes with TSA at airports since 9/11.
For the purpose of this point; I am a surviving victim of 9/11 - my aunt (fathers sister) was a first responder (EMT) and her husbands brother's shoe store was decimated before he too died from complications from respiratory disease. I am now caring for their only child hes 17, a 'B' student in public school now and severely depressed.
the last time I flew on an airplane was in 1997, the time before that was 1984.
Ask me if I am in favor of the new screening techniques at the airport or not?
Now ask someone who flies as part of their career?
And because I will anticipate; "if you never fly, why do you care?"
my answer is "because planes ALWAYS crash towards my general vicinity, and NEVER away from it."
that's all you got?
No corrections? the word 'coward', does that mean anything to you.
What is needed is well thought out and executed intelligence gathering regarding groups or individuals that have demonstrated a proclivity for violent political action (I suppose that technically could include a few police services). Good intelligence gathering is a waiting game where, ironically, the greatest success is that nothing happens. If executed properly the authorities are ready to act when a threat actually materialises. This is expensive, but so is caring for people maimed physically or psychologically by a terrorist attack.
Either acknowledge this as true - or attempt to correct it - or be the coward you are revealing yourself for.
And the 'Coward goes'...
I'd use some of grmce's verbiage and just say your syntax and general points were poorly executed and quite muddled. And, your clarification didn't work to advance your goal.
For example, I'm not sure what the 17 year old being a "B" student in public school has to do with anything, nor what your last sentence even meant.
To whit, I've no clear idea what your position is. Just doing as you ask, trying to help a brudder out. ;-)
So this is also a grammer test too.??
Instead of asking for clarification - assume. ??.. (not aimed at you of course)
lol. I thought I left the wingnuts back at reddit.
It was to cause the reader draw from their emotions into that scenario.
The point - which always gets this sort of response - no matter how I attack it - is that - those who were more closely traumatized by 9/11 are WAY more likely to voluntarily forgo OUR freedoms, tax dollars and ideologies. I can understand this perspective.
Notice I give NO indication of ME agreeing that it should be that way or that I would campaign to change this - or not - it's a fact of reality I see too little attention given in 'rational debate'. It always turns into ... well this.
And yes, grammar and spelling count, as well as syntax. Not as much as a central point, but they help. Really, no need to be defensive of my post. People just don't like having their time wasted. It's simple courtesy.
Keep trying if you feel you have something to say. I, for one, am not agin' it. ;-) And if you're trying to draw people in with emotional details, keep them emotionally relevant details. Or at the least entertaining. ;-)
I was just tying to get curiousindependent who indicated sympathy toward survivors and *seemingly* (inferring) willing to forgo *OUR* freedoms in exchange for protection.
What I see is it boiling down to this;
Should constitutional 'Amendments' trump 'Articles' that were there from the beginning of signing the US constitution - and not added as an after thought like amendments are.
For instance - does the obligation of the fed to protect us give them license to eliminate ANY freedoms or some - or none?
All you ever see are heated rants on this and sooo little rational, logical, intelligent discussion. Unless someones quoting a forefather,
And tho this is not the proper forum for that discussion at length... my response was prompted from a comment made here none the less.
Whats yours?
How would you fix it?
Now I did not understand that either... but I would *guess* you meant - 'you do not understand'
Am I correct?
And I got that because of ALL the supporting text around that one phrase.. Like I had all kinds of supporting text like the very first one.
Notice it did not stop me from comprehending your point?
I led with this;
'its impossile to have perfect protection and freedom at the same time.' paraphrased.
So yeah, I do struggle to understand how my post is so misunderstood? When I led with a very simple to the point - point.
It's almost like others do not try to grasp others points as hard as I do. I know I am not expecting grammer experts here.
Its like instead of trying to understand - I should do spell and grammar checks before attempting to understand others posts too...??
Again - its not direct AT YOU - you were just the guy who responded - so I am speaking to them through this post if you will only because you were the one who attempted to make sense of my post.
And yes, I know I am not always very articulate, but I thought that was normal... it seems like it with what I read here. Not to mention.. the subject matter is touchy to begin with.
Like I said, I have attempted to get people to think about this with less emotion - but that gets me labeled heartless. (curiousindependant first incorrect assumption when I said it DOES NOT mean I am heartless)
Then...
I try to get people to talk about the constitution I get labeled wingnut.
Its almost like people need problems so they have complaints. I'd like to address them and resolve them.
And I NEVER once injected my personal opinion.
Which is Hillarious with all the thumbs and few questions asking for clarification... look at all those ass...umptions.
Do share your knowledge of G.W.’s and Cheney’s record of protecting our individual civil liberties. Their new rules for surveillance and wire tapping, etc. are, in my opinion, amongst the biggest threats to our civil liberties in decades.
Most conservatives have been more than willing to overlook those infringements as long as they were directed towards American Muslims. Now that those same methods are being used to weed out ultra-right wing wackos, well, then, we get people like you crying foul.
Nope.
Look, you're not getting any traction here because you don't express yourself well. If you did, I wouldn't care what your position is.
The end.
Yeah, I know. You would just roll with it, life ain't fair, sh1t happens, right?
Ah so you discovered a way to eliminate human caused tragedy withOUT trampling ANYONES rights they enjoy now or have in the recent past?
If no.. then your remark is not only useless, but childish too.
If you can point out how I gave ANY commentary - by all means, like I said I am just raising points I think needs more attention in a rational debate.
There are freedoms and there are freedoms. Sure, you can argue that arresting a guy just because he was planning a heinous act infringes on his right. I mean, until he actually COMMITS that heinous act, he hasn't infringed on anyone else's rights, has he? It seems to me that your argument is that we should allow him to actually commit the crime first, taking lives and OTHER peoples' liberties before we infringe on his.
That is just what I took away from your comments
Sickening yes, but I'm not concerned about it. In addition to showing how truly twisted GOP TV has become, the beauty (and saving grace) of these militias is that they are constituted of some seriously ignorant pigf(u)ckers. Giving them a "national" blog as a starting point to spinoff their delusional covert ops propably fits nicely as a DHS CoIntelPro and I'm sure NSA is already watching the IP address trail.
The lone wolves with military background are of far greater concern. But they are not going to be influenced to action by some muttonhead on Fox.
Oh, wait... I forgot... paranoid white fascists can't be "terrorists"... that honor is reserved for Liberals and brown people with funny names.
The wingnuts are pretty quick to distance themselves from their fellow travelers who take it a step further.
Non-sequitur much ?
or just the Teapubliecants party.
The silvers are highly revered, respected and obeyed by their younger compatriots within these right wing nut groups.
For every one of these 65 or older radicals that you see, there are hundreds more who are young and fit, unseen, loyal and obedient.
10 years of war fought by State National Guards and Reserve troops who return to an economy so devastated that they cannot even find jobs, makes for a very fertile recruiting ground for the radical, extremist wing nuts.
Well - you see, the underlings do not see the hypocrisy.
It just makes sense to them.
Its easy to forget what it was like to never have known.
(wait for it.....)
AND - do you suppose there will be MORE funds for PTSD or less in the very near future?
What'll happen to those guys? a cot, 3 squares and a manifesto written to speak to them.
But I digress....
Many people justify theft from those they feel wronged them as a sort of forced restitution. I always figured that was human nature.
I mean our criminal and civil justice system relies on this concept of forced restitution - but regulated by juries of our peers etc...
Nah, too sophisticated for right-wing troglodytes, I think it would be more of a children's tree house, instead of an underground lair.
Or a Denny's.
Wait is this a serious question?
POE anyone? lol
You still are too generous.... termites nest is more like it
I'm gonna give these people a bit of the advice they're always so happy to bestow on me:
Don't like America? Leave.
Off topic musings aside, I'm sure this will be labelled as another 'isolated' right wing nut, completely 'unconnected' to any establishment figures. Much like the cluster of right wing plots we've seen since the election of Obama. These incidents are more than coincidence and they are certainly Not isolated. Remember the study released stating that right wing extremists are the biggest threat to our countries security?
From CBS website
You can predict it, though. Isolated crazies, Liberal plants, something like that.
In general, they've already created their "right wing good/left wing bad" neighborhood of make believe, so even if they can admit these guys were "bad", it just means they're obviously not righties.
Vanderboergh seems to be already laying out some groundwork based on existing propaganda, saying the militia group sounds more like Nazis than right wingers. I know, but it makes sense to them.
That's another pattern you'll see here, the usual Foxbot idiots on most days, screaming about the persecution when anybody mentions the increasing insanity of right wingers, or laughing at the wimpy libs who don't respect their second amendment rights. They show up here to smugly explain to all of us that these are just patriotic, law abiding Americans.
Then, one, or a group of them, snaps. An abortion provider gets murdered, or a church that's too liberal gets a shower of bullets. And the wingnuts get very quiet.
But they don't learn a f***ing thing from it. They just creep by to give a thumb down to everybody who was right about them all along.
In a few days, when this story has cooled down a bit, they'll be back, right back where they started.
The three percent sound like they need medication adjustments or frontal lobotomies. But instead we all must bow to their mental illness and give up our rights to safe workplaces and safe streets.
How about "authority"?
[quote]"This information confirms what our sources were saying all along -- that the FBI was covering up the true circumstances of the murder of Brian Terry," added Mike Vanderboegh, an authority on the Fast and Furious investigation who runs a whistleblower website called Sipsey Street. [/quote]