Posted on 09/03/2008 12:22:17 PM PDT by MplsSteve
A year ago, the Ramsey County sheriff's office began looking closely at a group called the Republican National Convention Welcoming Committee.
What it found, according to an 18-page search warrant application and affidavit, led to weekend raids on two Minneapolis homes and a temporary St. Paul office for the self-described anarchist group.
According to the document, investigation learned:
The self-described anarchist group — whose main goal was to "crash" the Republican National Convention," according to its Web site — traveled to or communicated with affinity groups in 67 cities to recruit members and raise money.
Group members discussed the possibility of kidnapping delegates, blockading bridges, using liquid sprayers filled with urine or chemicals on police and throwing marbles to trip police and their horses.
At an "action camp" held from July 31 to Aug. 3 in Lake Geneva, Minn., one member talked of concealing inside giant puppets "materials" that could be used on the street. Others discussed the need for Molotov cocktails, paint, caltrops (devices used to puncture tires), bricks and lockboxes for protesters to lock themselves together.
Erik Oseland, one of the six group members arrested here, produced a video called "Video Map of the St. Paul Points of Interest." It included such major companies as Travelers Insurance and Qwest, hotels such as the Embassy Suites and the Crowne Plaza. Also included: the Pioneer Press building.
The main sources for the information were "regular surveillance" of the group and three people who posed as members — two informants and an undercover investigator. The informants monitored e-mails and conversations.
Geneva Finn of the National Lawyers Guild, which represents many of those arrested, said it was hard for her to weigh the evidence in the affidavit because "it's all based on the testimony of people who are not identified, and that's a real problem."
Police and the Sheriff's Department characterized the anarchists as troublemakers who had come from other cities and states to disrupt the convention.
"Yesterday, there was a group of people, not the protesters ... but a group of criminals who came here with a very express goal and intent," St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington said Tuesday. "They came here to try to stop the convention, to crash the gates, to stop the buses and the delegates. ... They failed"
The libs are already using the threat of race riots to blackmail America into electing Obama.
It's a good thing that many Americans know how to defend themselves with a handgun.
We've had this discussion on my blog as well. Did you happen to catch this commentary from Fatima Ali?
Fatimah Ali: We need Obama, not 4 more years of George Bush
Excerpt from Ms. Ali's commentary:
If McCain wins, look for a full-fledged race and class war, fueled by a deflated and depressed country, soaring crime, homelessness - and hopelessness!
If this scenario were to occur, we'd best be ready to stomp it down hard! I think that you're spot-on in your speculation and we need to keep our heads down and our powder dry!
Never bring urine, chemicals, marbles, molotov cocktails, paint, caltrops, or bricks to a gun fight.
Lockboxes to lock yourselves together is ok as it is harder for us to hit a moving target.
Comments or opinions - anyone?
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Stop playing softball with these criminals. Treat them like criminals, jail them like criminals and prosecute them as criminals. Go for felony convictions and don’t let them out early once the political climate softens as so often happens.
You better believe it.
The libs are already using the threat of race riots to blackmail America into electing Obama.
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The end result of riots will be democratic controlled cities (dem base) being destroyed. So what is the concern?
They crossed that a border long time ago,and when these people talk about kidnapping and harming delgates. it's time to break out ma duce
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