FBI busts militia 'plot' to abduct Michigan Governor

The FBI says it has thwarted a plot to abduct and overthrow Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Gretchen Whitmer has attracted opposition to her measures to combat Covid-19. Photo: AFP

Whitmer has been a frequent target of Republican President Donald Trump’s criticism, including over her moves to enforce coronavirus social distancing rules in her state.

She has become a target of coronavirus sceptics after enacting strict mitigation measures that were overturned by a judge last week.

Officials say the kidnapping plot involved six men. Whitmer’s office has yet to comment on the arrests.

Those arrested are: Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Casert and Ty Garbin, whose home was raided by authorities yesterday.

They could face life in prison if convicted on charges of attempting to kidnap Whitmer, said US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge.

The alleged plot included reaching out to a militia group, according to an affidavit by FBI special agent Richard Trask released today.

Last month, Fox posted in an encrypted chat that he did not want a final training exercise to be held in the last week of October because it would not leave enough time to execute the kidnapping before the national election on 3 November, Trask said.

“The group agreed to use the time until the final training exercise to raise money for explosives and other supplies,” Trask wrote in the affidavit.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told a news conference: “Our efforts uncovered elaborate plans to endanger the lives of law enforcement officers, government officials and the broader public.”

In May, armed protesters opposed to the Covid-19 lockdown stormed the state capitol.

An armed protester stands outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, during a demonstration against the governor’s stay-at-home order. Photo: AFP

According to a sworn FBI affidavit, an undercover law enforcement source attended a June meeting in Dublin, Ohio, where a group of Michigan-based militia members discussed overthrowing state governments “that they believed were violating the US Constitution”.

“Several members talked about murdering ‘tyrants’ or ‘taking’ a sitting governor,” the charging document states.

The group wished to gather about “200 men” to storm the capitol building and take hostages, including the governor. They hoped to enact their plan before the November presidential election. If that failed, they planned to attack the governor at her home, officials say.

The militia members held weapons training in several states, and at times attempted to create bombs that were faulty, the FBI says, adding that their training was captured on video.

– BBC / Reuters