Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, in a statement on Thursday, said that the FBI and Michigan state police had arrested a man purporting to be the leader of The Base, a white supremacy group operating in Michigan. His partner was also arrested.
The authorities linked the suspects to an incident in December 2019 wherein the group threatened a Michigan family they mistook for supporting the Neo-Nazi movement. Some groups of people had surveyed the family’s home, taking pictures and later on posting these pictures on social media platforms.
The man at the center of the incident is 25-year-old Justen Watkins, who described himself as the leader of the group. His partner was 35-year-old, Alfred Gorman. Both suspects are from Michigan. The authorities have charged them on three felony charges, including gang membership, unlawful posting of a message, and using computers to commit a crime. These charges attract a maximum of 25 years in prison if convicted.
In 2019, the Michigan family reported sighting two people – a man and a lady, beaming a searchlight at their property and taking pictures. Thereafter, the photos landed in a Telegram group operated by The Base. They had mistaken the property as belonging to a podcaster who frequently criticized Neo-Nazi movements. Nessel said the group had planned to threaten the podcaster using the pictures.
Nessel condemned the behavior of the group and said that it amounted to using intimidation and fear to cower people who had contrary opinions to the group’s ideology. He said the group’s behavior was criminal and must never be allowed to stand.
Prosecutors also alleged that Watkins was the person responsible for operating the group’s “hate camp.” He trained recruits and other members on how to handle tactical firearms.
Weeks ago, the FBI and Michigan state police had arrested a white supremacy group that planned on kidnapping the Michigan state Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Yahoo News writes. According to investigations by prosecutors, the group denounced the growing uncontrolled influence of the governor and felt she had to be stopped. Their series of plots included storming the state capitol, causing an uprising, and preparing for a shootout with law enforcement agents.
Gov. Whitmer had blamed the daring move of the white supremacy group behind the plot, the Wolverine Watchmen, on recent rhetoric by President Donald Trump. She said he refused to denounce white supremacy groups outright and that the hate groups have interpreted the president’s speech as a call to action.
However, prosecutors confirmed that Thursday’s arrest was not linked to the kidnap plot incident several weeks back. Watkins and Gorman are currently being detained at the Washtenaw County Jail pending when they would be arraigned.
The Anti-Defamation League describes The Base as a Neo-Nazi group, formed in 2018. They have a vigilante complex and see themselves as protecting the interest of the European race.
Source: cbsnews.com
