Category: SovereignCitizenExtremists

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) continues to report on the ongoing lawless activities of the “Sovereign Citizen” based terrorist group, led by Bundy brothers Ammon Bundy and Ryan Bundy.  R.E.A.L. has reported on the armed terrorist takeover of the Bundy-led group of U.S. Federal Government facilities and Malheur wildlife refuge outside of Burns, Oregon, and the growing numbers of “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist extremists that have arrived in convoys to assist and protect the core Bundy terror group.  The FBI has stated: “the FBI considers sovereign-citizen extremists as comprising a domestic terrorist movement.”  Law enforcement has issued videos to police on how to deal with such dangerous domestic terrorists, who do not respect law and order.   The Department of Homeland Security reported in a February 2015 report that it viewed the “Sovereign Citizen” or what it also calls “Sovereign Citizen Extremist” (SCE) domestic terrorists as a dangerous national threat.  The Homeland Security report, produced in coordination with the FBI, counts 24 violent sovereign citizen-related attacks across the U.S. since 2010.

R.E.A.L. had been also following the ability of the “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist extremists to travel outside of the Oregon U.S. Government (USG) facilities near Burns, and the lawless environment which has allowed these terrorists to travel to other cities, even other states, without an arrest warrant being served.  R.E.A.L. has learned that the Bundy-led “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist group has now been traveling to spread further insurrection against Federal Government law and order in Utah – 700 miles away from the site of their current terrorist takeover of USG facilities.   The new plots appear to incldue meetings reported between “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist LaVoy Finicum and a Utah representative of the “American Lands Council.”

R.E.A.L. has learned this included terrorist travel by LaVoy Finicum and Ryan Bundy from their terror siege in Burns, Oregon on an 11 hour, 700 mile trip (each way) to meetings in Cedar City, Utah.   There was no effort by law enforcement to serve any arrest warrant or to stop these armed men who have been holding USG buildings and facilities hostage during this 24+ hour, 1,400 mile travel.  A local writer in Utah, Chris Zinda, had his photograph taken with “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist LaVoy Finicum to provide proof that Finicum had gone all the way to Cedar City, Utah, without being stopped by law enforcement.

We have now learned that LaVoy Fincium, was accompanied by Ryan Bundy, in the trip to Utah.  Ryan Bundy is the terrorist who first threatened to “kill” those who tried to stop their takeover of Oregon USG building and facilities.  According to research in a report by Raw Story, LaVoy Finicum described his Utah trip as meeting with “county officials,” and he “claimed they met with county officials eager to engage in a similar standoff with federal authorities over public land ownership.”  Chris Zinda also reported that terrorist LaVoy Finicum spoke in Cedar City, Utah at a “local afternoon conservative talk radio show.”

In Utah, Chris Zinda alerted the FBI and law enforcement to the presence of the armed terrorist involved in the Oregon USG facilities armed takeover.  Law enforcement was not interested.   As Chris Zinda reports, “I stopped along the road on the way to school and called the FBI in Salt Lake. They took my information and number (naturally) and left it at that. I haven’t heard from them since.  Listening to LaVoy on the radio while again driving made my head spin. ‘What the hell? How can this be allowed?’ When I got to school, ‘LaVoy Finicum is in Cedar City at the radio station!’ I said to the 911 fella on the other end who responded, ‘So?’ Softening a bit after my explaining why so, he said, ‘There is no arrest warrant and we can’t do anything.’ ”

On his Twitter account, (since our mainstream media no longer reports on terrorism in America), Chris Zinda reports that “Iron County, Utah Commissioner David Miller says he & ranchers met Finicum on 1/13 recruitment trip to Cedar City.”   Terrorist LaVoy Finicum told the Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) that “He said he was meeting with people in Utah who also want more control over the federal lands in their county. ”  Finicum also told OPB that “he had no contact with law enforcement during the road trip, which he made with one of the other occupiers, who he also declined to name.”

Terrorist LaVoy Finicum stated on YouTube (starting at 7:10), “Yesterday, Ryan Bundy and myself left and slipped out of here, a few days ago, and went to another state, another county that is very strongly oppressed, not as bad as here, but  is ready to stand up and ask the Federal Government to leave their county.  So we were there to support and encourage that to happen.”

Iron County, Utah Commission David Miller is part of the American Land Council (ALC) and appears in their videos promoting their cause.  David Miller has also been involved in zoning of lands in Iron County to influence ownership rights.  The ALC group is led by Ken Ivory, with the goal to transfer public lands away from their rightful federal government ownership.

“Sovereign Citizen” Terrorist Ryan Bundy lives in Cedar City, Utah, and has previously been arrested by Iron County police.  Bundy had previously been arrested for a nuisance charge stemming from 2013 activities, and court activities on this have continued to be delayed, as of September 2015.  In January 2015, Ryan Bundy was also served an arrest warrant for resisting arrest.

In May 2014, Reuters reported that “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist Ryan Bundy led hundreds of extremists to directly challenge federal control of protected land in Utah, driving dozens of all-terrain vehicles into protected land in Recapture Canyon in Utah that is home to Native American artifacts and where such journeys are banned.

The current Finicum video indicates that the “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist group is planning further activities to reject the legal rights and authority of the U.S. Federal Government in Utah, likely in Iron County, and very possibly another takeover of USG buildings and facilities in Utah, similar to their current terrorist occupation of USG facilities in Oregon.

In the Utah Independent, Chris Zinda also reports that: “Rancher LaVoy Finicum and militia organizer Cope Reynolds were recently recruiting support among southern Utah ranchers to stop paying their grazing fees and to create a local militia so that national militias can come and protect them from the consequences of their actions. Finicum and Reynolds were with Cliven Bundy at the ‘standoff’ in April 2014, have been empowered, and appear to be attempting to capitalize on the momentum.  A Youtube video was posted by Finicum on Nov. 20, 2015 in which he says he had ‘been asked to speak at a meeting with some southcentral Utah ranchers.’ In the nearly 72 minute video, you can hear both Finicum and Reynolds plead their case to Utah ranchers that now is the time to stand up to the federal government.”

Chris Zinda also reported that “Cope Reynolds is a gun store owner from Show Low, Ariz. who is best known for his not selling weapons to anyone who supported President Obama in 2012, brags about not having or wanting liberal friends, and since has been a loud voice for the Oath Keepers, III Percent United Patriots, and the militia movement.  Reynolds rubs shoulders with the controversial Sheriff Richard Mack of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association and, like Finicum and Bundy, believes the federal government has no legal authority but that that power rests with the local sheriff. Mack’s involvement in the Bundy standoff sparked controversy among the militia who were at the event, as he wanted to use women and children in the effort while others wanted to spark a revolution.”

The Anti-Government III Percent extremists and Oath Keepers have also been part of the Oregon extremist takeover activities, with convoys of armed Anti-Government extremists supporting the “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist group, roaming Eastern Oregon streets at will, without any consequences.

The “Sovereign Citizen Extremists” (SCE) seem to be actively “crowdsourcing” terrorism in the same way that ISIS has been doing, and now seeks to hold terrorist control of physical land, just like ISIS has been doing.  Such “crowdsource” tactics defy conventional counterterrorism defense practices of following well-structured and known terrorist cells, and seek recruitment of previously unknown actors to join the terrorist “movement.”  Further, the more success terrorist have in such “crowdsourcing,” the more effective such “crowdsource” recruitment efforts can be in inspiring disaffected individuals who might not previously known or considered supporting the terrorist group, and creating a false appearance of “legitimacy” to their cause.

In the 21st century, and especially given the vast and sweeping social media tools for reaching the public in 2016, relying on counterterrorism tactics from the 1990s as the primary solution for stopping “crowdsourced” terrorist activity would be in denial of the reality of our modern times and challenges.

The FBI has stated: “the FBI considers sovereign-citizen extremists as comprising a domestic terrorist movement.”

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) remains fully committed to rejecting all terrorist threats and attacks on the Universal Human Rights of all of our fellow human beings, including Americans.  In the United States of America, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” [28 C.F.R. Section 0.85 (1) ].

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) is concerned that this lawless behavior will spread from Oregon, and based on all of these new reports, R.E.A.L. believes that Utah will be the next target for “Sovereign Citizen” terrorist activity.  R.E.A.L. urges that our supporters make law enforcement aware of this.

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands in support of our universal human rights for all, and we stand in defiance against those, including terrorist and hate groups, which seek to attack such universal human rights, dignity, and security for all.

We cannot support human rights, if we also do not reject those who seek to rob our brothers and sisters in humanity of their lives and security, which are also our universal human rights.

 

 

 

In Eastern Oregon on Friday, January 8, 2016, a group of extremist supporters of the Bundy terrorist group began to flood into Harney County.  On Saturday, January 9, their extremist motives and support for the Bundy terror group is leading into a growing terrorist insurrection of the Eastern Oregon area around Burns, Oregon, with terror supporter surrounding the court house in Harney County on January 9 to provide a “resolution” of their demands.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) remains fully committed to rejecting all terrorist threats and attacks on the Universal Human Rights of all of our fellow human beings, including Americans.  In the United States of America, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” [28 C.F.R. Section 0.85 (1) ].

As previously reported in Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s detailed report, the terrorist activities of the Bundy brothers-led group which began a week ago on January 2, 2016, when the brother Ammon and Ryan Bundy led a terrorist group in an armed takeover of U.S. federal government buildings at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, south of Burns, which is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which includes the main office, a museum, and homes. The terrorists have also stationed armed extremists within the wildlife center’s watchtower to watch for law enforcement response to their crimes.   They have been accessing U.S. government computers, had access to employee information, identification cards, and they have made demands on their political cause to the U.S. Government over the past week.

As previously reported by R.E.A.L., the Bundy terrorist group has threatened violence, in addition to its violent takeover of the U.S. federal government facility.  Supporters of the Bundy terrorist group have threatened local members of the community, including death threats against the Harney County Sheriff, threats against his wife, slashing the tires of his wife, and stalking his elderly parents.  One of the Bundy terrorist leaders, Ryan Bundy, threatened to kill people.

With no Federal Law Enforcement defiance to a week of such criminal terrorist behavior, other supporters of the Bundy terrorist group have arrived to join them, and the terrorists have managed to gain more public and open supporters among local individuals, who are fearful of retaliation, since the U.S. Federal Government has determined to refuse to restore the rule of law in Oregon.  Reports were that terrorist supporters were allowed to come and go at will, additional family members joined the Bundy terrorist group, and others have been providing food and supplies to the Bundy terrorist group, with no one being arrested and no held accountable for their support for this terrorist group.  Internet social media took to making jokes about the terrorist group, but increasingly the joke has been on the Rule of Law, which has been completely abandoned in this part of Eastern Oregon and terrorists seem to be empowered to do whatever they want.  The source of the failure to act has been a decision by the White House not recognize this as “terrorism,” to abandon its responsibilities for federal facility protection to “local law enforcement,” and for the Obama Administration to order federal law enforcement not to have violent conflict with the emboldened terrorists.

As the Bundy terrorist group felt more empowered, it began dictating to the federal government that it sought transfer of the federal government land to the local government, and the terrorist group created a committee of local representatives that it claimed would oversee local governance.  The Bundy terrorist group “Harney County Committee of Safety” was named, and claimed that it had rights to local governance and drew its power from historical militias, including those they claimed were necessary to protect people  from “threats from the savages.”

On January 7, the Harney County Sheriff offered to provide “safe escort” of the criminal Bundy terrorist group if they would simply leave the small town area terrorized by the insurrection.  The Bundy terror group leader, Ammon Bundy declined the offer and insisted the terrorists would keep control of the U.S. Federal Government facility.   On January 8, the sheriff reported that he did not know when talks would continue.

On January 8, R.E.A.L. and other human rights activists warned the F.B.I. and other federal law enforcement authorities that other extremist groups supporting the Bundy terrorists were planning to join the terrorists’ movement, with a cover story that they planned to create a cordon to protect the terrorists from F.B.I. violence.  R.E.A.L. specifically warned the FBI and other regarding the plans of Pacific Patriots Network to come to the Burns, Oregon area, as initially and publicly announced by the III Percenters of Idaho president,  Brandon Curtiss.  R.E.A.L. obtained a report that Brandon Curtiss planned to protect the Bundy terrorist group by creating “a safety perimeter for the occupiers” (the Bundy terrorists) “so as to prevent a Waco-style solution from unfolding during this peaceful occupation.”  Brandon Curtiss, who is a former police officer, continued that his Anti-Government group sought to “bear witness to any aggressive action initiated by federal agencies” – Curtiss told Sam Bushman, an Anti-Goverment “Patriot” movement radio host, that his group helped organize the original Burns, Oregon protests before the Bundy terrorist armed takeover of the U.S. federal building, which Curtiss calls a “peaceful occupation.”  Our contact to law enforcement on this was not acknowledged.

PPN and III Percent Anti-Government Extremist – Armed Convoy Comes to Eastern Oregon

The groups included the “Pacific Patriots Network,” which had publicly expressed support for the Bundy terrorists, although making a transparently obvious false claim that they sought the terrorist to “stand down.”   The Idaho-based “Pacific Patriots Network” (PPN) had stated: “We wish to establish a safety perimeter of protection for the occupiers so as to prevent a Waco-style situation from unfolding during this peaceful occupation. The primary intention of this outer-ring is to bear witness to any aggressive action initiated by federal agencies or the occupiers, and to encourage an open dialogue towards a peaceful resolution. ”

The PPN denied the Bundy group efforts were terrorism, and stated the armed take over of government buildings “[a]t this point in time this is no different than a sit in protest at a college.”  The real goal has been for the Pacific Patriots Network, the “Oath Keepers, and “III Percenters” (Three Percenters) network, whose anti-government goals have been to spread a more nationwide insurrection and to defy U.S. Government authority, whose slogan is “when tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.”

In the current efforts by the Pacific Patriots Network in support of the Bundy terrorist group, PPN leader Joseph Rice has been leading armed convoys throughout Harney County, taking over roads, and surrounding the Harney County Courthouse to provide a “resolution” to the Sheriff.

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) reported: “A member of the Pacific Patriots Network, Joseph Rice, told OPB the convoy went to the courthouse to deliver what he called the ‘articles of resolution’ to the county. The Pacific Patriot Network is a collective of people from Oregon, Washington and Idaho, who, Saturday morning, arrived at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge claiming to secure the scene where armed militants have been stationed for the past week.”

As the federal law enforcement has been ORDERED by the Obama Administration not to have any violent conflict with the terrorists, and the local law enforcement is significantly overmatched by the convoys of armed terrorists, a state of confused lawlessness is growing as the insurrection of Eastern Oregon grows.  Local media expecting some type of leadership on law order are left asking the general public basic safety questions, such as whether the road should be closed to stop convoys of armed Anti-Government and terrorist groups from flooding into the area.

Among the new armed convoys of Anti-Government extremists and terrorist supporters, PPN leader Joseph Rice (also an “Oath Keeper” leader) also led a “militia” effort in April 2015 in Josephine County, Oregon to defy Bureau of Land Management regulations over mineral rights in Galice Creek.  The “Oath Keeper” extremists were also a part of the armed groups at the 2014 Cliven Bundy protests in Nevada, where federal law enforcement surrender and withdrew.  Leaders of the Idaho-based anti-government extremists have made violent threats against the government before.  “Pacific Patriots Network” and “Oath Keeper” leaders have supported violent anti-government activities, including the 2014 armed threats against federal law enforcement in Nevada on the Cliven Bundy ranch (which went unpunished), and conflicts with the federal government in Oregon, Montana, and California.

Among other supporters of such Anti-Government Three Percenters, this includes the November 2015 arrest of pro-Confederate Allen ‘Lance’ Scarsella, which R.E.A.L. reported on among the White Supremacist Terrorists who attacked a protest in Minneapolis, where five African-Americans were shot. R.E.A.L. assisted in providing information to the F.B.I. on that investigation.

Anti-Government supporters of the Cliven Bundy armed protest against police included killers Jerad and Amanda Miller; the current Oregon Bundy brother-led terrorist group was inspired by the failure of federal law enforcement to stop them in Nevada in 2014.  Jerad Miller was at the Bundy Ranch, where armed Bundy terrorists threatened law enforcement. The duo had professed strong support for Bundy, who had been cited for grazing his cattle on public land without a permit.  In June 2014, the Bundy Anti-Government couple led a killing spree in Las Vegas in a restaurant and a Walmart department store, ambushing and killing two police officers and killing another American civilian.  Jerad and Amanda Miller claimed they were “freedom fighters” hoping to spark an anti-government “revolution. After storming a restaurant and killing two police officers, Jerad and Amanda Miller placed a swastika and a ‘don’t tread on me’ flag on the officers’ bodies before going to Walmart and taking more lives. The two Anti-Government Millers were then killed by police.

In addition, the Political Research group reports on the history of violence and criminal behavior among the extremist anti-government groups: “Numerous arrests of Three Percenters and those who have shown affinity with them have been documented.” “Three Percenter Brad Bartelt threatened to detonate a homemade explosive on Arkansas State University’s campus in December 2015. Bran­don D. Gibbs, who was heavily armed and armored when police arrested him in December 2014 for threatening a city official, also had shown an affinity for the Three Percenters. And in 2011, Frederick Thomas was arrested in Georgia as a member of a militia group, which ‘planned to attack cities including Atlanta with deadly ricin, bomb federal buildings and murder law enforcement officials and others.’  Thomas was allegedly inspired by Vanderboegh’s online novel Absolved; it describes a future confrontation where activists with Patriot movement views have a shootout with law enforcement and plan to murder government officials.”

Anti-Government terrorist Frederick Thomas and other ricin terrorist plotters sought to spread ricin across the Washington, D.C. area via airplane in a mass murder terrorist attack.

Despite this history of violence and terroristic behavior from such Anti-Government extremist groups and the armed threats against Federal Government law enforcement, the White House has decided to take a tepid response to the Bundy terrorist group activities in the current armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, as well as the new group of Anti-Government extremists pouring into Eastern Oregon from other parts of Oregon, Idaho, and other areas.

The tepid response from the White House to this armed insurrection and takeover of U.S. government facilities, was to deny that these Bundy gang that had taken over U.S. Federal Government facilities at gunpoint were “terrorists,” and to abandon the defense of Federal Government facilities as “ultimately this is local law enforcement matter,” while offering the FBI to provide help in investigation.  The White House has provided no comments or leadership in condemning or defying this terrorist takeover of U.S. Federal Government facilities.

Reuters has interviewed senior Obama administration officials, however, who state that they were ORDERED not to have any violent conflict with the terrorists.  In an article titled, “U.S. authorities under orders to avoid clash in Oregon stand-off,” it was reported that “Federal authorities in a stand-off with armed, self-styled militiamen in eastern Oregon have been told to avoid a violent confrontation, in line with official U.S. policy after deadly clashes in the 1990s, said three Obama administration officials.”  “The occupation’s leaders have issued recruiting calls on social media for more supporters, though it is unclear how many have joined so far. The Malheur occupation began as a march in Burns, Oregon about 30 miles (48 km) north of the wildlife refuge to protest Monday’s scheduled imprisonment of two ranchers convicted in 2012 of setting fires that inadvertently spread to public land. Two administration officials cited the peaceful resolution of a 2014 confrontation with members of the Bundy family as a successful precedent for a non-confrontational approach.”  In 2014, the Cliven Bundy family staged an armed defiance of federal government law enforcement authorities, and the Obama administration had the federal law enforcement give up and withdraw.  No charges have been made and no fines collected from the Bundy family.

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) is stunned by the events over the past week in Oregon, which have been so fast moving that most of R.E.A.L. reports have been on Twitter and Facebook social media, as the blog format simply is not fast enough to keep up with the stream of breaking events.  R.E.A.L has been astounded at the weak response by the White House on this act of terrorism, and its lack of interest in defending U.S. Government facilities, property, and the people in the surrounding area.  R.E.A.L. recognizes and understands that all of the facts are not publicly known, but what R.E.A.L. has witnessed over the past week is inconsistent with the standards of law enforcement and the willingness to defy terrorism, which has previously (and in other cases today) been a hallmark standard of federal law enforcement.  Furthermore, the unwillingness of the President of the United States to make a strong and unequivocal statement in support of the rule of law, especially in the context of other recent “successful” terrorist attacks on the United States seems inexplicable to R.E.A.L.   R.E.A.L. hopes that the President’s position on this will change and soon.

Like everyone, R.E.A.L. hopes there will be a peaceful settlement to this.  However, the inspiration that the apparent weakness has given to ISIS and other terrorist groups across the United States of America and the world, remains a significant undermining of American support the rule of law and human rights.  In the words of that great Darfur human rights leader, Mohamed Yahya, while we all seek peace for all, we must remember “without justice, there can be no lasting peace.”

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands in support of our universal human rights for all, and we stand in defiance against those, including terrorist and hate groups, which seek to attack such universal human rights, dignity, and security for all.

We cannot support human rights, if we also do not reject those who seek to rob our brothers and sisters in humanity of their lives and security, which are also our universal human rights.

 

In the remote eastern Oregon suburb of Burns, Oregon, a terrorist group, led by extremists Bundy brothers Ryan Bundy and Ammon Bundy, has taken over U.S. federal government buildings in Oregon, and are holding them by gunpoint.  The Bundy-led terrorist group seized the U.S. federal government buildings on January 2, 2016, while they were closed for the New Year’s holiday.  Public calls for the Bundy terrorist group to surrender to the authorities have been ignored.  One terrorist in the group, Ryan Bundy, told Oregonian reporter Ian Kullgren that were willing to kill other Americans.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) remains fully committed to rejecting all terrorist threats and attacks on the Universal Human Rights of all of our fellow human beings, including Americans.  In the United States of America, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” [28 C.F.R. Section 0.85 (1) ].

Ian Kullgren reported on January 3, 2016 regarding the terrorist group which has taken over the U.S. federal government building in Oregon: “I talked to Ryan Bundy on the phone again. He said they’re willing to kill and be killed if necessary.”

Another one of the terrorists, calling himself “Captain Moroni,” told another reporter that he came to take over the U.S. federal government building to die as part of a suicide terrorist attack, stating “I came here to die.”  Among the terrorist extremists, there are those claiming to use the attack to promote an extremist view of Mormonism.  R.E.A.L. has reached out to and urged the Church of Latter Day Saints to make a statement denouncing these extremist terrorists, which have taken over U.S. government facilities in Oregon.   UPDATE: R.E.A.L. has learned the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released the following statement: “While the disagreement occurring in Oregon about the use of federal lands is not a Church matter, Church leaders strongly condemn the armed seizure of the facility and are deeply troubled by the reports that those who have seized the facility suggest that they are doing so based on scriptural principles. This armed occupation can in no way be justified on a scriptural basis. We are privileged to live in a nation where conflicts with government or private groups can – and should – be settled using peaceful means, according to the laws of the land.”

One of the Bundy brother terrorist leaders, Ammon Bundy, stated that the armed terrorists planned to occupy the U.S. government facility for years.  In a report to the Oregonian, Ammon Bundy stated: “We’re planning on staying here for years, absolutely… This is not a decision we’ve made at the last minute.”

The terrorist group initially stated that they have as many as 150 armed terrorist supporters at the Oregon wildlife refuge compound that they have taken over.  Later reports by the media has indicated the terror gang at the Oregon facility is more like 20 individuals.

The Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward stated that the Bundy-led group’s efforts are an “attempt to over throw the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States.”

The Harney County Government stated that the Harney County Court House will be closed for security reasons Monday January 4, 2016.  Oregon Live reported that schools would be closed in the area this week due to the security issue.

The terrorist group began with what they called a “peaceful protest” at the Harney County Sheriff’s Office, regarding policies of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is a part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the arrest of two Oregon Harney County ranchers for a 2012 case of arson.  The two Harney County ranchers,  Dwight Hammond Jr. and his son Steven Hammond, were convicted, served time, and reporting for additional jail sentences.   The Hammond family reportedly has rejected the terrorist activities of the Bundy-led terrorist group.  “Neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within his group/organization speak for the Hammond Family,” the Hammonds’ lawyer W. Alan Schroeder wrote to Sheriff David Ward.

Many among the Oregon public have rejected and renounced the actions of the Bundy-led terrorist group.  AP reports that local residents fear being targets of the extremist group.  While the public and Oregonians are also angry with the Bundy-led terrorist group, law enforcement has specifically asked the public not to confront the terrorists.

After the initial “protest” in front of the Harney County Sheriff’s Office, terrorist leaders broke away from the protest and drove off to an area south of Burns to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, which they took over the U.S. government facility at gunpoint, and blocked the access road.  Local news media believe that the terrorist plot to take over the U.S. federal government facility had “been planned for some time.”

The terrorist group took over the refuge headquarters at gunpoint of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, south of Burns, which is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which includes the main office, a museum, and homes.  The terrorists have also stationed armed extremists within the wildlife center’s watchtower to watch for law enforcement response to their crimes.   In addition to this facility, the Oregonian reports that the Bundy-led terrorist group was also planning to take over another U.S. government facility at a wildland fire station near the town of Frenchglen, Oregon, which is approximately 40 miles south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.  The Oregonian reports that “The U.S. Bureau of Land Management posts crews there during the fire season.”

The Bundy-led terrorist group is known to consist of Ryan Bundy, Ammon Bundy,  Ryan Payne (U.S. Army veteran from Montana), Blaine Cooper (from Arizona who was involved in Quran burnings to incite violence), Jon Ritzheimer (who has led groups with automatic weapons to threaten Muslims outside of Arizona mosques), and LaVoy Finicum (described by critics as an “anarchist” who views himself as “above the law” and “threatening violence to get what you decided should be yours.”)  Similar to other “suicide” type terrorist videos by jihadist extremists, the Oregonian reports that : “[d]ays before the refuge takeover, Ritzheimer posted what struck some as a farewell video to his family,” who he abandoned on Christmas Day to drive to Oregon, as part of the planned terrorist takeover.  In terrorist Jon Ritzheimer’s “farewell video,”  he condemned the U.S. government as an “oppressive and tyrannical government.”

The Bundy-led terrorist group originally claimed to have over 100 supporters at the Oregon compound under seige, but according to an Oregon Live report on the afternoon of January 4, indicates that in their appeals for more members, they are now stating they have 20 members in their terrorist group at the U.S. government facility they have taken hostage.

The Bundy-led terrorist group continues to have access to the Internet and apparently mobile phones to continue to recruit new members to their terrorist cause, while they are holding the U.S. federal government building hostage.   Like the ISIS terrorist group, the Bundy-led terrorists have used Twitter and Facebook as ways to recruit members to support their violent activities, as well as to issue propaganda for their cause.   They continue to have such access while committing their terrorist attack.  Twitter has not cancelled their accounts, and they continue to publish new propaganda while actively holding U.S. government facilities at gunpoint.

Terrorist Ammon Bundy has been using Twitter on the morning of Monday, January 4, 2016 to promote his agenda and his claims that he has a “Constitutional” right to commit terrorist activities.   His followers include supporters of the racist Confederate group, racist “White Resistance,” and various extremists, as well as a reported police officer with the City of Miami Gardens, Florida.

In addition, the Bundy terrorist group is also recruiting for additional support on Facebook using a “Bundy Ranch” account, and there has been no action to cancel their Facebook recruiting page, which provides telephone numbers and means for terrorist supporters to aid and support the violent takeover of U.S. federal government buildings.  Facebook is continuing to be used by this group for active recruitment of an armed, violent takeover of U.S. Government facilities, at the time of this posting, with no Facebook limitations on their activities.

Oregon Live also reports that the Bundy terrorist group is getting out other appeals on the afternoon of January 4, 2016, for armed and unarmed terrorist supporters to join them.  Blaine Cooper and Jon Ritzheimer,  who are members of the terrorist group, are using the Internet to make appeals to their extremist followers.

The FBI’s Portland, Oregon office released a statement on January 4, 2016, via Twitter which stated: “The FBI is the lead investigative agency for the situation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.” “We are working with Harney Cty SO, OSP & other agencies to bring a peaceful resolution to the situation at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.”  “Due to safety considerations we will not be releasing any specifics with regards to the law enforcement response.”

On January 3, 2016, Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward issued a statement on the Bundy-led terrorist efforts: “These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers, when in reality these men had alternative motives to attempt to over throw the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States.” “We are currently working jointly with several organizations to make sure the citizens of Harney County are safe and this issue is resolved as quickly and peaceful as possible. At this time we do not have any information that any other areas in Harney County are in immediate danger.” “We ask that people stay away from the refuge for their safety. We also ask that if anyone sees any of these individuals in the area to please contact law enforcement and do not confront the individuals themselves…”  Sheriff Dave Ward issued a previous statement which also stated: “A collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution. For the time being please stay away from that area. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Please maintain a peaceful and united front and allow us to work through this situation.”

Law enforcement authorities asked politicians not to comment on the Bundy-led terrorist effort to avoid inflaming the situation, which was why there had been a considerable silence on January 2 and 3 on this issue from the political community.   However, one national politician did criticize a lack of aggressive action as a racial issue. Another national politician made a statement on January 4 calling for the Bundy-led group to “stand down,” because “we don’t have a constitutional right to use force and violence and to threaten force and violence against others.”

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s position has and will continue to remain consistent on our unambiguous rejection of terrorist violence, which is in direct opposition to our Universal Human Rights.  R.E.A.L. does not see any “conservative” or “liberal” political view, or any other “political” view, when it comes to such terrorist threats, activities, criminal behavior, and violation of our shared human rights.  This is never a matter of “right” or “left” in politics, as some want to believe, but it is a matter of RIGHT and WRONG.  As R.E.A.L. rejects all terrorist behavior, we also reject all terrorist threats and actions in the United States of America.  To extremists who believe they have a Constitutional “right” to terrorist behavior, that is as much of a lie as those who claim they have a “religious” right to terrorist behavior.  R.E.A.L. will consistently reject terrorism – all the time – and R.E.A.L. urges all those who respect our universal human rights to do so.