FBI Intelligence Bulletin

• For Official Use Only
• Law Enforcement Sensitive
• March 28, 2010

FBI INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

(U//FOUO) VARIED ONLINE RHETORIC IN RESPONSE TO MILITIA ARRESTS IN MICHIGAN

28 MARCH 2010

(U//FOUO) PREPARED BY THE FBIS DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE, COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYSIS SECTION. THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED TO ASSIST FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENT COUNTERTERRORISM AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE THREAT THESE INDIVIDUALS POSE AND TO SUPPORT IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF APPROPRIATE ACTIONS, PRIORITIES, AND FOLLOW-ON MEASURES.

(U//FOUO) A MAJOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY INVOLVING AN EXTREMIST MILITIA ORGANIZATION BASED IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. THIS OPERATION, CONSISTING OF THE EXECUTION OF NUMEROUS FEDERAL SEARCH AND ARREST WARRANTS BY THE FBI, MICHIGAN STATE POLICE AND OTHER MEMBER AGENCIES OF THE JOINT TERRORISM TASK FORCE, IS NOT EXPECTED TO CONCLUDE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 8 P.M. ON 28 MARCH 2010.

(U//LES) THE GROUPS SECOND IN COMMAND IS THE REMAINING MEMBER TO BE ARRESTED. HIS WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

(U//LES) IN RESPONSE TO THE ARRESTS, MILITIA EXTREMISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE POSTED, AND CONTINUE TO POST, RHETORIC ON INTERNET BLOGS AND MESSAGE BOARDS. THE POSTS VARY WIDELY IN NATURE. SOME POSTS SIMPLY RELAY INFORMATION OF THE ARRESTS, WHILE OTHERS INTERPRET THE ARRESTS AS A SIGN OF MORE ACTION TO COME AGAINST MILITIAS. OTHER POSTINGS CRITICIZE THE ARRESTED MEMBERS, WHILE OTHERS ARE PLEDGING SUPPORT TO THE GROUP. MILITIA EXTREMIST RHETORIC TYPICALLY CONSISTS OF CALLS TO ACTION AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OR A STATE OF HEIGHTENED ALERT. THESE STATEMENTS PRIMARILY HAVE SERVED AS AN EXPRESSION OF ANGER AFTER A PARTICULAR EVENT. THE FBI ASSESSES THE LIKELIHOOD OF VIOLENT CONFLICT FROM THE REMAINING GROUP MEMBERS OR OTHER MILITIA EXTREMISTS AS LOW.

(U) CONNECTION TO OTHER MILITIA EXTREMIST GROUPS

(U//LES) THE MILITIA HAS CONNECTIONS TO INDIVIDUALS IN OTHER MILITIA EXTREMIST GROUPS IN OHIO, INDIANA AND TEXAS. CURRENTLY, THE FBI HAS NO INDICATION OF PLANS BY OTHER MILITIA EXTREMISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN RETALIATORY ACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE ARRESTED INDIVIDUALS.

(U//LES) THE UNKNOWN WHEREABOUTS OF THE GROUPS SECOND IN COMMAND CREATES A CAUSE OF CONCERN PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE GROUPS TIES TO OTHER MILITIA EXTREMISTS.

(U//FOUO) ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOULD BE ON A HEIGHTENED STATE OF ALERT FOR ANY INCREASED MILITIA ACTIVITY, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE REPRISALS FROM GROUPS WHO MAY BE SYMPATHETIC TO THE MILITIA MOVEMENT OR ANTI-GOVERNMENT CAUSE.

(U) REPORTING NOTICE:

(U) FBI ENCOURAGES RECIPIENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT TO REPORT INFORMATION CONCERNING SUSPICIOUS OR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY TO THE LOCAL FBI JOINT TERRORISM TASK FORCE AND THE NATIONAL OPERATION CENTER (NOC). THE FBI REGIONAL PHONE NUMBERS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.FBI.GOV/CONTACT/FO/FO.HTM AND THE NOC CAN BE REACHED BY TELEPHONE AT 202-282-8101 OR BY EMAIL AT NOC.COMMON at DHS.GOV. ?FOR INFORMATION AFFECTING THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, CONTACT THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE COORDINATING CENTER (NICC), A SUB-ELEMENT OF THE NOC. THE NICC CAN BE REACHED BY TELEPHONE AT 202-282-9201 OR BY EMAIL AT NICC at DHS.GOV. WHEN AVAILABLE, EACH REPORT SUBMITTED SHOULD INCLUDE THE DATE, TIME, LOCATION, TYPE OF ACTIVITY, NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND TYPE OF EQUIPMENT USED FOR THE ACTIVITY, THE NAME OF THE SUBMITTING COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION, AND A DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT.

(U) ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE: LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE

(U//FOUO) INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN IS FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. NO PORTION OF THIS BULLETIN SHOULD BE RELEASED TO THE MEDIA OR THE GENERAL
PUBLIC. RELEASE OF THIS MATERIAL COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OR JEOPARDIZE INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES.

(U) FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE CONTENT OR DISSEMINATION OF THIS DOCUMENT PLEASE CONTACT THE FBI DTAU UNIT CHIEF AT (202) 324-0256.

UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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