FC: Wisconsin militia group alleges Fed threat against web site

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[What happened here is extraordinarily unclear. A group calling themselves 
the 17th Wisconsin Militia seems to have had some abrasive encounters with 
(surprise) law enforcement. Earlier this week, they changed their web site 
to read: "17th Wisconsin Militia Homepage is temporally SHUT DOWN By an 
Order from the A.T.F. & F.B.I." Now they're backtracking a bit, and the web 
site is back up. I emailed the webmaster Tuesday evening and never received 
a response. --Declan PS: Sheesh, you'd think militia groups are so paranoid 
about forgeries and infiltration and whatnot that they'd at least use PGP 
to sign their statements.]

---

Date: Sat,  7 Jul 2001 16:33:12 -0600
From: Jon Roland  <jon.roland () constitution org>
Subject: Message from 17th Wisconsin Militia webmaster
To: wi_militia () yahoo com

This message, if authentic, downplays the situation, but even if it is only as
described, it is not a minor matter. Such persecution is a violation of civil
rights, specifically 18 USC 241 and 242, and is grounds for a civil action 
under
42 USC 1983, for violation of civil rights and for the damages done. This is
indeed one of the methods by which the fascists will attempt to persecute and
suppress political critics. It doesn't need to rise to the level of an all-out
assault like that made on the Davidians. Being nibbled to death by federal 
ducks
is no less abusive for being less abrupt or dramatic. Everyone who 
downloaded and
put up mirrors of the 17th Wisconsin website are to be commended, for it 
sends a
message to the fedgoons.

------Message begins------

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL CONCERNED FREEDOM FIGHTERS & PATRIOTS:

AN EXPLANATION
July 4th, 2001

It has been brought to my attention that my recent encounter with the BATF
has caused a stir among the patriot community.

Unfortunately, one of our members, when told of the news of my encounter,
panicked and took things out of context and posted on some message boards
that I was raided and shutdown. This information has been exaggerated. So I
believe I owe the patriot community an explanation on what really happened.

For the last 10 years or so, I've been having minor run-ins with a State DOJ
Agent who lives in the area. This agent frequents a local water hole that I
sometimes visit. He's pretty much the "Blow[hard]" of the town and likes to
throw his authority around in order to intimidate respect from people. I've
been standing up to his brand of tyranny and he doesn't like it one bit. He
especially doesn't like the fact that I'm connected with the militia here.
He's used his influence to arrange some harassment from local law
enforcement officials. He's gone as far as to set me up with stooges who try
to provide and plant evidence in order to turn me into a felon so my right
to possess a firearm will be taken away. He has publicly admitted that he
will do what it takes in order to "dis-arm" me. Well three and a half years
ago he got me. He sent in a stooge to buy a pistol from me, which I sold to
the snitch. This snitch wrote a bad check that bounced all the way to China.
As I was trying to recover the firearm I found out the snitch worked for the
agent. To make a long story short, evidence was planted, then I then
received a raid from local authorities. Their unlawful search of my home
came up with nothing. But they did DESTROY  my home in the process causing
over $8,000 in damages and vandalism.

After fighting for three years in the Wisconsin judicial  system I was
convicted for a misdemeanor based on lies and planted evidence back in
December.  With that misdemeanor conviction, the DOJ agent evoked an obscure
Brady Law amendment that prohibits me from possessing a firearm for 1 year
from date of conviction.  With that as ammo, he sent a BAT agent (because
they have the power) and a tactical team to my home to enforce this "crap"
obscure law. Fortunately a friend who was visiting at the time was able to
take possession of the firearm. The authorities DID NOT get the weapon. The
funny thing about it is that this firearm was transferred and approved by
the FBI after the conviction.  The FBI giveth, the ATF taketh away. What a
country.

As for the web shut-down: The above DOJ agent made a threat to me stating to
either change the content or shut the site down.

If I refused, he said he was going to have the site shut-down using the
grounds that the 17th WI militia being a covert, clandestine militia, that
does not accept anyone into their membership, and because of  the nature of
their training, operations and security measures, would get us labeled as
"Domestic terrorist" organization.  So in order to prevent him from carrying
out his threats, I closed things down.  Measures are being taken to address
the problem I'm having with this DOJ thug, and the website will be back up
and running in its original form in a few days.

I'd like to thank everyone for their support and offers of help.  I
apologize for our members who "cried wolf" and sent the patriot community
into action. I apologize for any problem or [inconvenience] this has
cause[d] anyone.  I don't believe this is the start of an attack on the
militia movement as a whole, I believe this to be an attack on me,
personally.  But who knows. I believe everyone should remain on an alert
status and [be alert] if something like this happens else[where].  Thanks
and my sincere apologies to all.

WEBMASTER   17th Wisconsin Militia

wi_militia () yahoo com

===================================================================
Constitution Society, 7301 RR 620 N #155,276, Austin, TX 78726
512/531-0767                         Date: 07/07/01  Time: 16:19:08
http://www.constitution.org/     mailto:jon.roland () constitution org
===================================================================




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