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Posted: March 12, 2002
Two members of a far right militia cell in Kalispell, Montana are in police custody after a former member told authorities of a plot by the group to kill local law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors and their families.
The informant claimed that the militia cell, named "Project 7," planned a round of assassinations for early summer and had a list targeting 26 officials. "It was their belief that by killing local officials, the state of Montana would have no choice but to send in the National Guard," Flathead County Sheriff James Dupont said. The militia members hoped to eliminate the National Guard, forcing a confrontation with NATO troops in order to trigger an "all-out revolution."
Police arrested David Earl Burgert, 38, the alleged leader of the cell, on February 8, 2002 following an armed standoff. Burgert already had a warrant out for his arrest on charges of assaulting a police officer in January 2001; he also faced charges of obstructing a police officer in a November 2001 incident. Authorities also arrested Burgert's companion, Tracy Brockway, 32, saying that she used her job as a cleaning woman at a local police department to obtain information on area police officers and their families. Brockway faces a charge of obstruction of justice for allegedly harboring Burgert.
Following the arrests, police conducted searches that turned up two trailers filled with 30,000 rounds of ammunition, machine guns, a vast supply of handguns, a silencer, body armor, pipe bombs, explosive booby traps, bomb-making chemicals and a sizeable array of survivalist gear and military rations. Police estimated that the cache was worth several hundred thousand dollars.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Flathead County Sheriff's Office have launched a joint investigation. Investigators say they so far have identified at least four or five local people who may be involved in the alleged plot. They are also looking into possible links Burgert may have had with other extremist groups.
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