Poison Gas Plot (thanks to Brian Kane)
One would certainly have to question why an individual would feel compelled to stockpile sodium cyanide, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, unless they had some bad intent. They certainly had the capacity to be extremely dangerous.
- Assistant U.S. Attorney Wes Rivers
In our post-9.11 world, these sorts of Wingnuts get a lot of attention, but the reality is that this sort of activity is hardly new. Not that I'm trying to minimize the danger here, but before we all head for the hills in terror, let's try to keep things in perspective, shall we?
Fringe anti-government groups are as old as the republic itself. The degree of threat varies, but most groups just want to be left alone. Then again, when you engage in activities like these particular Wingnuts, I suspect we'd all want the government to sit up and take notice.
Three people linked to white supremacist and anti-government groups are in custody. At least one weapon of mass destruction - a sodium cyanide bomb capable of delivering a deadly gas cloud - has been seized in the Tyler area.
Investigators have seized at least 100 other bombs, bomb components, machine guns, 500,000 rounds of ammunition and chemical agents....
Since arresting the three people in May, federal agents have served hundreds of subpoenas across the country in a domestic terror investigation that made it onto President Bush’s daily intelligence briefings and set off national security alarms among the country’s most senior counter-terror officials.
William J. Krar, originally from New Hampshire, last week pleaded guilty in Tyler federal court to possession of a chemical weapon near the East Texas town of Noonday. He faces up to ten years in prison. His common-law wife, Judith Bruey, pleaded guilty to lesser weapons charges and faces up to five years in prison.
Also arrested this past Spring was Newark, New Jersey resident Edward Feltus. The New Jersey Militia member has pleaded guilty to attempting to purchase fake United Nations and Department of Defense identity cards from Krar.
All three have steadfastly maintained their silence, even though talking could reduce their prison sentences, and the investigation has stalled for now. Evidence seized and the fact that none of the defendants will talk has given rise to speculation that unknown conspirators may be still be involved in a broader plot to use Krar’s home-built chemical weapons, government officials say.
Since Timothy McVeigh, we've learned that sometimes the bigger threat doesn't bear an Arabic name or a swarthy appearance. Sometimes the biggest threat carries an American passport and a heart filled with anger. These are just the folks who have been stupid or unfortunate enough to get caught. There are others- likely many others- out there who are looking for their own Oklahoma City. It may only be a matter of time. And how do we poke a finger in THAT dike?
