Law Enforcement Officials Bust Group Called “Alabama Militia”.
Teams of federal, state and local law enforcement agents conducted raids in four-county area of northeast Alabama Thursday, forcing the closure of Colllinsville High School because agents had information that at least some of the suspects were armed and could be dangerous. According to Dekalb County Alabama Sheriff Jimmy Harris, one of the homes was very near the school and they could not risk a stray bullet endangering any children.
Several people have been arrested so far from a group calling themselves the Alabama Militia according to law enforcement officials. ATF, FBI, ABI and others executed search and arrest warrants, said Eric Kehn, an ATF agent and public information officer for the agency.
According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Birmingham, officials re-covered 135 hand grenades, an improvised rocket launcher with live rounds, a grenade launcher, a sub-machine gun, a short-barreled shotgun, two silencers, a variety of other firearms, 2500 rounds of ammunition, explosive components, approximately 70 impro-vised explosive devices and commercial fireworks. Also recovered were more than 100 marijuana plants.
A full detention hearing has been set for next Tuesday, May 1st, at 1:30pm. All of those
taken into custody are being held without bond.
James Cavanaugh, ATF Special Agent in Charge, stated ‘The communities in this area are a lot safer considering the fact that large quantities of live grenades and other explosive materials have been safely removed. Let us hope Alabama has seen the last of the “Alabama Militia”.’
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was the lead agency in the operation, with assistance from bomb squads, from the Gadsden and Huntsville police departments, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the Alabama Department
of Public Safety.
You must be logged in to post a comment.