Hutaree Members and Leader David Brian Stone in Federal Court

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | March 31, 2010 at 08:22 pm

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Nine Members of Hutaree Militia group in Federal Court : David Brian Stone, Sr, David Brian Stone, Jr, Joshua Stone, Tina Stone, Joshua John Clough, Jacob Ward, Michael David Meeks

Nine members of the Michigan based Hutaree Militia have been charged with seditious conspiracy, attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, teaching the use of explosive materials and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Nine Hutaree Militia Members Indicted

Hutaree Militia Arrests (Video)

Today in Michigan federal court members of the Hutaree right wing militia group - including leader David Brian Stone, Sr - entered pleas of not guilty to charges of conspiring against the federal government and plotting to kill law enforcement officers.

"This is not about militias or a group of militias, but about a group conspiring against the U.S. who have shared beliefs that the New World Order elitists are in charge and seek to have one world government and is working with the U.S. government," Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Waterstreet said in his opening statement. "Any law enforcement officer is a foot soldier for the New World Order."

All eight defendants remained silent during the proceedings. The seven men and one woman - all shackled and dressed in issued prison garb - stood silently with their appointed attorneys as the judge entered their not guilty pleas.

Thomas Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Indiana, is a ninth suspect, being held in Indiana. Most were arrested over the weekend; one was arrested Monday night.

In the court indictment, it was charged that the group would kill a police officer, than attack the large group of police which would be sure to attend the funeral, in an effort to launch a war with the US government.

Training Since 2008

The Michigan based group has conducted rifle training since 2008, and have a YouTube which depicts the exercises, which include the firing of rifles.

In December 2008, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives was conducting an investigation at a local federally licensed firearms dealer that the Hutaree used. This brought leader David Brian Stone to their notice.

This ATF's investigation showed that the group had planned developing and using explosives to attack law enforcement and their families, including children.

According to the government, the hierarchy of the group was as follows: The elder Stone, known as "Raddock," "RD," and "Captain Hutaree," served as one of two squad leaders in training exercises; his son Joshua Stone, 21, who lives with his father and his father's wife in Clayton, Michigan, was the other squad leader; his other son, David Brian Stone Jr., 19, of Adrian, Michigan, led the "opposition force" and was responsible for detonation of explosives in training exercises.
Also according to the government: Tina Stone, who is the wife of David Brian Stone Sr., was in charge of communication with other militias and helped with the Hutaree Web site; Kristopher Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, Ohio, was the self-described leader of the Ohio branch of the Hutaree militia; Joshua John Clough, 28, of Blissfield, Michigan, was an information officer, responsible for maintaining the Hutaree Web site, online videos and explosives; Piatek was a "heavy gunner" responsible for laying down heavy fire during training exercises, as were Michael David Meeks, 40, of Manchester, Michigan, and Jacob Ward, 33, of Huron, Ohio.

Ward and Sickles traveled from Ohio to Michigan to participate in the training exercises, the government said.

Media, press members and some 10 relatives of the accused attended the court proceedings.

U.S. District Magistrate Judge Donald Scheer will decide on bail by Thursday.

Police seized a cache of pistols and rifles from trailers owned by the group, about 90 minutes southwest of Detroit.

An undercover agent infiltrated the group, learned of their hit list of public officials, and helped them create explosives. Some in the group had practiced killing animals with .357 magnums.

The undercover agent helped the group's members build explosives, Waterstreet said.

In a speech recored by the undercover agent, Stone made reference to the AFT raid on Ruby Ridge in 1992.

Defense attorneys claim that the government cannot prove anything more than speech protected by First amendment liberties.