Militia Planned to Kill Cops, Spark 'Uprising': Feds

Nine members of a Midwestern Christian militia group were charged with conspiring to kill police officers today, in what the indictment says was an attempt to “levy war” against the US government. According to prosecutors, they hoped to kill enough local law enforcement officials to draw other police from around the country to their funeral—where they would strike again.

“It is believed by the Hutaree that this engagement would then serve as a catalyst for a more widespread uprising against the government,” court documents said. The charges follow FBI raids over the weekend that resulted in the arrest of eight suspects—a ninth is being sought. The suspects include one woman and eight men, among them the Hutaree’s leader, Brian Stone. Prosecutors say they were in the process of building bombs to use in their war.