PaulSutherland

Assignment#3

OklahomaCity,TheBranch Davidians,andtheMilitiasof theUnitedStates

By:PaulSutherland 4079026697 ProfessorKunich PRO600AAdvancedCounterterrorism

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Whenbuildingsburnorgetblownup,peoplestarttopayattention.Whethertheactofacult,a singleindividual,orabandofindividualswhoincludethemselvesinwhattheyrefertoasamilitia,the causeandeffectofrightwingideologyiscommonlythesameintheUnitedStates.Thispaperwill addressaneventandamovementwiththedesiredresultoffurthereducationandenlightenmentonthe topics.TheeventthatwillbecoveredisthebombingoftheOklahomaCityFederalBuildingin1995, andthemotivationsbehindthatbombingwhichmaybelinkedtotheWacoincidentinvolvingtheFBI andtheBranchDavidiansin1993.Themovementthatwillbecoveredisthemilitiamovementandthe classificationsplacedonthemasterroristorpotentialterroristorganizations.Aswillbeshownbythe endofthispaper,theeventandthemovementhaveclosetiesthatmanypeoplemaynothaveknown. OnApril19th1995,TimothyMcVeighandhishisaccompliceTerryNicholsparkedarented movingvanoutsidetheAlfredP.MurrahfederalbuildinginOklahomaCity,Oklahoma.Afterafew hoursofitsittingintheparkinglot,itexploded,destroyingmostofthefederalbuilding,andkillingone hundredandsixtyeightpeople,manyofthemwerechildrenwhowereinthedaycarecenterlocatedin thebuilding.ItwasthedeadliestactofterrorisminthehistoryoftheUnitedStatespriortotheattacks onSeptember11th,2001.Themovingvanwaspackedwithoverfourthousandpoundsofammonium nitratefertilizer,andmixedwithhighoctaneracingfuel.ThemanhuntforMcVeighcommenced immedietly,andhewasapprehendedonseveralhourslaterashedrovehiscardowntheinterstate,and wasstoppedbecausehewasmissinghislicenseplate.McVeighwastriedandconvictedoneleven federalfelonies,andsentencedtodeath.ThesentencewascarriedoutonJuly10th,2001.1

1 Ottley,Ted."TheTimothyMcVeighStory:TheOklahomaBomberCrimeLibraryontruTV.com."truTV.com:Not Reality.Actuality..http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/mcveigh/dawning_1.html

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TheinitialquestionwaswhatwouldhaveledMcVeightocommitsuchahorribleactof terrorism,whatorganizationwashepartof,andwhatfutureattackscouldweexpectfromthis organization?Thesecondandthirdquestionswereansweredtogether.ItwasfoundthatMcVeighhad notiestoanyrightwingextremistorganization,andhadactedinconjunctionwithapartner,Terry Nichols.Asforthefirstquestion,numerousstorieshavesurfacedaboutwhytheseactsofterrorism werecommitted,allwithpossibletruth.ThestoryfromMcVeighhimselfcannotconfirmwhat happened,becausehisstorywasmixedandcontradictoryattimes.Whathasbeenpiecedtogether throughresearchandinvestigationeffortsisthatMcVeighwasintroducedtogunsataveryyoungage, andbecamedeeplyinvolvedwithgunsrightsandantigovernmentprotestsinthefewyearsafterhigh school2.Afterhighschool,heenteredintotheArmy,wherehelearnedhowtouseweapons,survivein theharshestofconditions,switchoffhisemotions,andkillotherswithoutfear.Duringnumerous interviewswithTIMEmagazine,heindicatedthathichsabilitytoswitchoffhisemotionswasakey partofwhyhecouldbombthebuilding3.AfterhistoursinIraq,McVeightriedtojointhespecial forcesoftheUnitedStatesarmy,butfailedthephysicalandpossiblythepsychologicalaspectsoftest.4 Afterhewasdischarged,McVeighbecamedepressedandstartedtodivedeeperintorightwing extremistideology.Hetraveledthecountrylookingforhisoldfriendswhohethoughtwouldhave sympathywithhiscause,andwhenhecouldfindnonehereturnedhometolivewithhisfatherand sister.Hisfatherdidnotlikewhathissonhadbecome,andMcVeighwasforcedtoleavethehouse andmoveintohisownapartment,wherehebecameevenmoresecluded5.Itwasatthistimethatthe
2 Walsh,David."OklahomaCitybomberTimothyMcVeigh:themakingofamassmurderer."WorldSocialistWebSite. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/apr2001/mcvea19.shtml 3 TIME."ALookBackinTIME:InterviewwithTimothyMcVeighTIME."BreakingNews,Analysis,Politics,Blogs, NewsPhotos,Video,TechReviewsTIME.com.http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,109478,00.html 4 Walsh,David."OklahomaCitybomberTimothyMcVeigh:themakingofamassmurderer."WorldSocialistWebSite. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/apr2001/mcvea19.shtml 5 Nichols,Nicole."DomesticTerrorism101TimothyJamesMcVeigh."EyeOnhate. www.eyeonhate.com/mcveigh/mcveigh6.html

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FBIsurroundedtheBranchDavidianscompoundinWaco,Texas.McVeighsawthisasthe governmentbeingoverrepressiveofothers,justashefelttheyhadbeentohim,andhesetouttothe siegeatWaco.Whiletherehedistributedantiguncontrolandantigovernmentalliteraturetoanyone whowouldtakeit.6Afterthesiegewasover,McVeightraveledtowardsthenorthwest,followinggun showsandgivingoutbuttonsandpamphlets.HebecamedeeplyinvolvedwiththeChristianPatriot Movementandbecamelikemindedwithmanyofthemilitias.HerenouncedhisUnitedStates citizenship,andbeganlivingonfarmsandinhouseswheremembersofmilitiaswouldallowhimto7. Itwasatthistimethathedecidedtotakeaction.McVeighbelievedthatitwastimetosendthe messageandsoundthealarmthatwouldrallythearmedcitizensofAmericatotakeaction8.Withthe helpoftheOklahomamilitia,onthesecondyearanniversaryofthemassacreatWaco,heloadeda movingvanfulloffertilizer,anddetonateditattheAlfredP.MurrahfederalbuildinginOklahoma City,Oklahoma. TheconnectionbetweenMcVeighandtheBranchDavidianswastheircommonbeliefinthe secondamendment.TheBranchDavidianshadamassedalargestockofweapons,andbelievedthat thedaywouldcomewhenthefederalgovernmentwouldattackthem,signalingtheendoftheworld wasstarting9.McVeighdidnotbelievethattheendoftheworldwouldoccur,buthedidbelievethat thegovernmentwasbecomingtoaggressive,andtocontrolling.HeviewedtheBranchDavidiansas beingexactlylikehiminthatthegovernmenthaddonethembothwrong,andtakinguparmsseemed theonlylogicalthingtodoagainstthem.Itwasforthisreasonthathechosetodetonateabombona
6 Nichols,Nicole."DomesticTerrorism101TimothyJamesMcVeigh."EyeOnhate. www.eyeonhate.com/mcveigh/mcveigh6.html 7 Nichols,Nicole."DomesticTerrorism101TimothyJamesMcVeigh."EyeOnhate. www.eyeonhate.com/mcveigh/mcveigh6.html 8 Nichols,Nicole."DomesticTerrorism101TimothyJamesMcVeigh."EyeOnhate. www.eyeonhate.com/mcveigh/mcveigh6.html 9 Moore,Carol."ThemassacreoftheBranchDavidians."FirearmsandLiberty. www.firearmsandliberty.com/waco.massacre.html

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governmentbuildingontheanniversaryoftheWacoassault.Hewasgettingrevengeforthosehe watchedburntodeathinWaco,atthesametimehewouldbesoundingthehornforeveryonetoriseup againstthegovernment.Hisactions,didnothavethedesiredeffect. ThemilitiamovementisnotanewtrendintheUnitedStates.Militiashavebeenusedthrough the20thcenturyfornumerouspurposes.Themilitiamovementthatisknowtodayiscomprisedof numerousrightwingextremistorganizationswhocallthemselvesmilitias,andarecomprisedmostlyof memberswhoactivelypracticesurvivalistandparamilitarytraining.Theirmainfocusisonrestoring orderandlawfulnesstotheUnitedStatesfederalgovernment,andtheywilluseforcetoachievethis goal.Themodernmilitiasdidnotstarttocomeintobeinguntilthelate1980'stoearly1990's.They cameintobeingduetoeventsthatangeredthem.Theeventsthatangeredthemrangedfromthe electionofBillClintontotheRodneyKingriotstothepassageoftheNorthAmericanFreeTrade Agreement.Morethananyotherissue,though,thedeadlystandoffsatRubyRidge,Idaho,in1992and Waco,Texas,in1993ignitedwidespreadpassion.TomostAmericans,theseeventsweretragedies,but totheextremeright,theywereexamplesofagovernmentwillingtostopatnothingtostampoutpeople whorefusedtoconform.10Withanextremerightwingviewoftheworldandeventsgoingoninit, thesegroupshavetakentoactivelytrainingthemselvesforthecomingwarwiththeUnitedStates government.Asdescribed,theyseeRubyRidgeandWacoasthebeginningofthegovernmentswar onthemilitias.Tothisend,themilitiasstartedtotrainextensively,andamassedlargeamountsof weapons,food,andbuiltlargeshelterstopreparefortheupcomingwar.Theweaponsthatwere stockpiledareadeadlycombinationofautomaticrifles,handguns,bombs,andevenchemicaland biologicalweapons.InapamphletreleasedbytheMilitiaofMontana(MOM),militiasareadvisedto
10 "TheMilitiaMovementExtremisminAmerica."ADL:FightingAntiSemitism,BigotryandExtremism. http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/Militia_M.asp? LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=4&item=mm

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armoneselfwith,attheveryminimum,aColdAR15assaultrifleandsixhundredroundsof.223 ammunitionaswellasatleastone9mmtypeBerettaautomaticpistolwithnofewerthantwohundred bullets.Acanopener,atoothbrush,andthermalunderweararetheotherrecommendedessentials.11 WhileMOMdoesnotadvocateormakereferencetochemicalandbiologicalweapons,theydosell chemicalandbiologicalsuitsonthewebsite.12Othermilitiagroupshaveacquiredchemicaland biologicalagentsinthepast.InMarchof1995,twomembersoftheMinnesotaPatriotsCouncil,a militiagroup,wereconvictedofstockpilingenoughricintokillatleast129people,allegedlyaspartof aplantomurderIRSagents,U.S.Marshals,andlocaldeputysheriffs.13InMayof1995,aman describedasacertifiedmicrobiologistwhoalsohadlinkstotheAryannationswasabletoordera quantityofbubonicplagueagentthroughthemailfromaMarylandChemicalSupplyFirm.14Finally, inDecemberof1995,anArkansasresidentwithreputedtiestowhitesupremacistsurvivalistgroups inthestatewasarrestedathisfarmonchargesofhavingattemptedtosmuggle130gramsofricininto theUnitedStatesfromCanada.15 Althoughmostmilitiasareviolent,thereareafewwhoarenot.TheMOMisaMontanabased militiathatdoesnotactivelyengageinillegalactivity,butrathersellssupplies,guides,andshelters fromitsinternetbasedstore.TheyhelpspreadpropagandathroughtheinternetintheformofMOM pamphletsthathavebeenfoundatnumerouswhitesupremacistslocationsaroundtheworld.16 Numerousotherorganizationsareviolentthough.TheseorganizationsincludetheMilitiaatLargefor theRepublicofGeorgiawhichin1996hadmembersarrestedforattemptingtoassassinatenumerous

11 12 13 14 15 16

Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.114 "tabseqip."MilitiaOfMontana.http://www.militiaofmontana.com/tabseqip.htm Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.107 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.107 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.107 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.117

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electedfederalofficials.17TheNorthAmericanMilitiahadnumerousmembersarrestedin1997for beinginpossessionofbombsandautomaticweapons,whileconspiringtokillfederalagents.18The PhineasPriesthoodhadfourmembersarrestedandconvictedofaseriesofbombingsandbank robberiesintheWashingtonStatearea.19Finallyin1995,sevenmembersoftheWestVirginia MountaineerMilitiawerearrestedandchargedwithplottingtoblowuptheFBI'scomputercenterin thatstate.20Theseareafewexamplesofdifferentmilitiasthathaveusedviolencetofurthertheir goalsortopreparethemselvesfortheoncomingwarwiththeUnitedStatesfederalgovernment. TheFBIhasbeencautioustolabelmanyofthesemilitiasasterroristorganizations,eventhough theirdefinitionofdomesticterrorismwouldpermitmanyofthemtobeonthelist.Todate,themilitias thathavemadetheFBIdomesticterroristlisthaveincludedtheKuKluxKlan,TheKentuckyState Militia,theNorthAmericanMilitia,theMichiganMilitia,andtheMinuteMen.21Butotherthanthose listed,manyofthemilitiashavediedoutorgoneintoseclusion.Oneofthemostpowerfulmilitiasstill inoperationisMOM.ButMOMislabeledasapotentialterroristorganization.WhileMOMonly operatesbysellingsupplies,theydohavealargecacheofweapons,believeinthecauseofthemilitias, andhaveroughlyonethousandmembersinMontana,withcontactstoothermilitiastheworldover. Thismakesthemadangerouspotentialthreatshouldtheyeverdecidedtoact. Forthemostpartthemilitiamovementhasdied.Duringthelate1990'snumerousarrestsof
17 18 19 20 21 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.106 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.106 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.106 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.106 SourcesInclude: "Biofiles:AmericanDomesticTerroristsandAssassins."TheHistoryGuy:AResourceforHistory,MilitaryHistory, Politics,andBiography.http://www.historyguy.com/biofiles/domestic_terrorists_and_assassin Walker,Devona."Alistofdomesticterroristsandterroristacts|TheLoop21.com."Blacknewsandculture,African Americanmoneyandpolitics|TheLoop21.http://www.theloop21.com/news/domesticterroristandactsdomestic terrorism "TheMilitiaMovementExtremisminAmerica."ADL:FightingAntiSemitism,BigotryandExtremism. http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/Militia_M.asp? LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=4&item=mm

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membersandadisillusionofthecausewithinthegroupscausedthemilitiastofalteranddisband.22 Atthesametime,however,themovementhaslongdemonstratedaremarkableresiliencyand durabilitycombinedwithaproclivityforsharp,suddenspasmsofviolencethatcannotbeeasily discounted...AccordingtoMOM'sDavidTrochmann,theremainingorganizationsarenolessresolute andarestilljustasdetermined:Theyarejust'muchmoreprivate'andcarefulinexpressingtheirviews andorganizationalaffiliations.23 Inconclusion,everythingseemstobeconnected.ThetroubledlifeofTimothyMcVeighwas forevertransformedwhenheencounteredrightwingextremistpropagandaandwasonceagain changedwhenhewitnessedthefireatWaco,andtraveledwestwherehemetnumerousmilitiagroups. Hethoughtthathewasgoingtofirethefirstshot,andstarttherevolutionthatthemilitiaswouldsoon follow.Hewasincorrect,andfiredthefirst,andultimatelythelastshotasthemilitiamovementdied shortlyaftertheOklahomaCitybombing.Manyapplaudedthebombingasanactforfreedom,butthe negativepressandlawenforcementattentionthatwasbroughtonthemilitiasasaresultiswhat eventuallyendedupkillingthemovements.Onecanlookbackinhistoryandseethedownfallofso manybasedontheirownbeliefs.ItistrueofAmericanChristianPatriotmovementaswell,the explosionthatwastoseteveryoneintorevolution,wastheexplosionthatdestroyedthedreamsofthe manwhoperpetratedit.

22 "TheMilitiaMovementExtremisminAmerica."ADL:FightingAntiSemitism,BigotryandExtremism. http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/Militia_M.asp? LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=4&item=mm 23 Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006.p.118

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WorksCited
"Biofiles:AmericanDomesticTerroristsandAssassins."TheHistoryGuy:AResourceforHistory, MilitaryHistory,Politics,andBiography. http://www.historyguy.com/biofiles/domestic_terrorists_and_assassins.html(accessedJuly20, 2009). Hoffman,Bruce.InsideTerrorism.Columbia:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2006. Moore,Carol."ThemassacreoftheBranchDavidians."FirearmsandLiberty. www.firearmsandliberty.com/waco.massacre.html(accessedJuly20,2009). Nichols,Nicole."DomesticTerrorism101TimothyJamesMcVeigh."EyeOnhate. www.eyeonhate.com/mcveigh/mcveigh6.html(accessedJuly20,2009). Ottley,Ted."TheTimothyMcVeighStory:TheOklahomaBomberCrimeLibraryontruTV.com." truTV.com:NotReality.Actuality.. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/mcveigh/dawning_1.html (accessedJuly20,2009). TIME."ALookBackinTIME:InterviewwithTimothyMcVeighTIME."BreakingNews,Analysis, Politics,Blogs,NewsPhotos,Video,TechReviewsTIME.com. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,109478,00.html(accessedJuly20,2009). "TheMilitiaMovementExtremisminAmerica."ADL:FightingAntiSemitism,Bigotryand Extremism.http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/Militia_M.asp? LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=4&item=mm (accessedJuly20,2009). Walker,Devona."Alistofdomesticterroristsandterroristacts|TheLoop21.com."Blacknewsand culture,AfricanAmericanmoneyandpolitics|TheLoop21.http://www.theloop21.com/news/ domesticterroristandactsdomesticterrorism(accessedJuly20,2009). Walsh,David."OklahomaCitybomberTimothyMcVeigh:themakingofamassmurderer."World SocialistWebSite.http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/apr2001/mcvea19.shtml(accessedJuly 20,2009). "tabseqip."MilitiaOfMontana.http://www.militiaofmontana.com/tabseqip.htm(accessedJuly20, 2009).