Militia Men Arrested In Alleged Plot To Bomb Kansas Mosque After Election

KAKE / Via kake.com

Three members of a militia group in Kansas were planning to bomb an apartment complex and kill dozens of Somali immigrants the day after the presidential election, federal officials said Friday.

Calling themselves "The Crusaders," the three men wanted to detonate four parked vehicles filled with explosives outside the apartment complex in Garden City to "wake people up," said acting US Attorney Tom Beall.

"These charges are based on eight months of investigation led by the FBI that is alleged to have taken investigators deep into a culture of hatred and violence," Beall said. "Many in Kansas may find it as startling as I have that such a thing can happen here."

Curtis Allen, Gavin Wright, and Patrick Eugene Stein planned for months to find a location to attack, Beall said, but the FBI began investigating the group in February to thwart what they referred to as an act of domestic terrorism.

The men weighed attacking churches, homes and apartment buildings frequented by Somali immigrants that have settled in the area, officials said.

During that time, Beall said, the men conducted surveillance, stockpiled weapons and ammunition, and canvassed the area for a target.

In the end, officials said the militia members decided to target an apartment building in Garden City where about 120 Muslim Somali immigrants lived, and where an apartment unit was used as a mosque for worship, FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric K. Jackson said.

"They had the desire, the means, and the capabilities and were committed to carrying out this act of domestic terrorism," Jackson said.

The men also took the time to write a manifesto, which they planned to release after the attack.

"One of them said that the bombing would, quote, 'Wake people up,'" Beall said.

At some point during the investigation, officials said, they introduced a "confidential source" to the men, who showed them automatic weapons to use in the plot.

Stein, Beall said, also took the FBI source to the apartment complex they planned to attack.

The men wanted to wait until then in order to not affect the election, Jackson added.

Officials said the men were linked with other militia and sovereign groups, which espouse anti-government, anti-immigrant, anti-muslim and strong gun-rights ideologies.

Jackson said there were no other known threats in the area, but FBI agents are continuing to investigate the men's ties to other groups.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

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