The Hutaree

Have you heard about the Christian militia cult known as the Hutaree? They have been busted as domestic terrorists.

[David] Stone and eight other suspected Hutaree members, self-proclaimed “Christian warriors” who trained themselves in paramilitary techniques in preparation for a battle against the Antichrist, are charged with seditious conspiracy, or plotting to levy war against the U.S. They were arrested after a series of weekend raids across the Midwest.

Prosecutors say the group planned to make a false 911 call, kill responding police officers, then set off a bomb at the funeral to kill many more. An indictment said that after the attacks, the group planned to retreat to “rally points” protected by trip-wired explosives for a violent standoff with law enforcement personnel. . . .

Federal officials said they began monitoring the militia last summer and believed an attack was planned for April. Waterstreet said Hutaree was planning training that month where they would kill people that “came upon them.” Court documents said the undercover agent and a cooperating witness were part of the federal probe.

Eight suspects were arraigned Wednesday in Detroit. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald A. Scheer entered not guilty pleas on behalf of seven who stood mute to the charges, including David Brian Stone. Stone’s eldest son, 21-year-old Joshua Matthew Stone, pleaded not guilty.

Detention hearings for six defendants followed, but the judge didn’t issue a ruling. Two more were scheduled for Thursday. The ninth suspect appeared in court in Indiana but no plea was entered.

In arguing for detention, Waterstreet told the court the suspects’ conduct was at issue.

“It’s not about a religious group,” Waterstreet said. “It’s not about the militia. It’s about a group who decided to oppose by force the U.S. by using violence and weapons.”

Waterstreet said Stone sought to “own his own country,” and send police retreating to the cities. Waterstreet said Stone “indicated the wives and children of the brotherhood (police) were equal targets.”

via Prosecutor: Agent Infiltrated Christian Militia.

You can check out the Hutaree’s website.

Also, read their Wikipedia writeup. (Note the Pokemon connection.)

Are these folks Christians? Conservatives? Terrorists? (See the post below for my own discussion with tODD on this topic.)