On Friday the FBI arrested three men in Garden City, alleging that they are part of a terror plot to carry out an attack on Kansas Muslims.
As The Huffington Post reports, Patrick Stein, Gavin Wright and Curtis Allen are purported to be part of a domestic terrorist group called “the Crusaders,” an organization that the FBI says espouses “sovereign citizen, anti-government, anti-Muslim, and anti-immigrant extremist beliefs.” The group are believed to have targeted an apartment complex in Garden City in which Muslims live. The Justice Department says the terror group planned to park vehicles loaded with bombs at the four corners of the complex and detonate them. The three men are alleged to have been stockpiling firearms, ammunition and explosive materials.
According to the FBI, the men took glee in their proposed mass killings. One of them, Patrick Stein, is quoted as saying to an undercover agent: “When we go on operations, there’s no leaving anyone behind, even if it’s a one-year-old, I’m serious. I guarantee, if I go on a mission, those little f***ers are going bye-bye.”
He also intimated that he hoped to incite full-scale war: “The only f***ing way this country’s ever going to get turned around is it will be a bloodbath and it will be a nasty, messy mother***er.”
The attack was planned for Nov. 9, one day after the presidential election.
UPDATE: The Garden City Telegram reports that the men targeted the complex because it housed an apartment that Somalis used as a mosque.
Garden City Mayor Chris Law and Police Chief Mchael Utz have issued a statement:
“Our community is forever grateful for the protection provided to us every day, but especially today in learning of the thwarted attack on our community. I’m shocked, but at the same time extremely proud of and grateful for the efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement," Mayor Chris Law said. "Today should also serve as a reminder that vigilance should be a common practice by all citizens. ‘See something, say something’ is a cause we should champion each day even in a rural community like Garden City. I would encourage anyone that sees something suspicious to call 911.”
The Garden City Police Department has evidently been co-operating with the FBI throughout the investigation.
UPDATE: According to USA TODAY, the three suspects were ordered Monday to remain in custody pending upcoming hearings. A Wichita federal magistrate has assigned the men lawyers.
UPDATE: A federal grand jury in Wichita has indicted the three men arrested in connection to terrorism in western Kansas, KFDI reports.
UPDATE: NBC News is reporting that the bomber plot initially came to light when one of the members of the extremist group grew alarmed by the violent plan and alerted authorities, thus becoming an anonymous source.
