Alabama Free Militia Busted

Fox News has an article about the Feds arresting some men in Alabama for planning a machine gun attack on Mexicans. A federal agent said that the men call themselves the Alabama Free Militia. These very well might be some really bad guys who intended to harm some Mexicans, but I tend to be suspicious of cases like this. They might also be guys who went way overboard in preparing to protect themselves from what they see as potential threats. And who really knows what 'overboard' is in these days of terrorism and out-of-control illegal immigration?

The evidence, as reported by Fox, raises a lot of questions:

A federal agent testified they found two rooms loaded with guns and possible explosives components, including fireworks, ball bearings, primers, mouse traps, light bulbs and fertilizer.

Mouse traps? Light bulbs? As far as I know, every item listed is legal in Alabama. Notice that the agent said "possible explosives components." I would venture a guess that most residents of Alabama have mouse traps, light bulbs and fertilizer that are not used as explosives components. A few may have some loose ball bearings in their tool sheds.

I don't live in Alabama but I have every item on the list, except fireworks, in my workshop right now. I also have a couple of cans of gun powder. And some gun parts. (Whoops! Now the feds are probably going to come after me.) Years ago I used to hand load shotgun shells for skeet shooting and rifle cartridges for target practice and deer hunting. I haven't researched the laws in that area recently, but as far as I know all that stuff is still legal.

The five are charged with conspiring to make a firearm.

I didn't know that it was illegal to make a firearm, much less conspire to make one. I never made a gun myself but I knew back then of people who did. Perhaps they had a license or something. If I discussed with friends a desire to make a gun now could I be charged with a federal crime?

Nesmith (a federal agent) said one of the men told an informant that the group, which calls itself the Alabama Free Militia, saw government agents as "the enemy" and had a standing order to open fire if anyone saw government agents approaching.

Notice that he is getting this information from an informant, not from an undercover federal agent. We all know how reliable informants are. Is the informant a current or former member of the group with a grudge? Who knows!

I'm going to try to follow this case and see how it turns out.

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