Charges in Minnesota mosque bombing

[Valin]

Power Line

Scott Johnson

Mar. 13 2018

The United States Attorney for Minnesota has just issued a press release disclosing the filing of charges against three Illinois men for the bombing the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center (“the mosque”) in Bloomington, Minnesota. The press release identifies the three as Michael McWhorter, Joe Morris, and Michael Hari. They are alleged to have used an explosive device with the intent of damaging the center. Each of the three is identified as a resident of Clarence, Illinois. The Star Tribune story on the charges is posted here.

The three are in custody in Urbana. Morris and Hari made their initial appearance on federal charges related to an attempted bombing in Champaign today at 3:00 p.m. in federal court in Urbana; McWhorter’s initial appearance in connection with the attempted Illinois bombing will take place later at an unspecified time.

The affidavit filed in support of the Minnesota charges alleges that the three were responsible for a PVC pipe bomb that was thrown through a window of the Dar al-Farooq Center this past August 17. The press release discloses that law enforcement received information from a confidential source implicating the three in the mosque bombing on January 27 of this year. I take it from the press release that each is charged with one count of arson. Having watched the mosque’s security video of the explosion, I should add that the bomb could easily have injured those present at the time of the blast and it is lucky that no one was hurt.

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[Valin]

Michael Hari, Michael McWhorter, Joe Morris & Ellis Mack: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Tom Cleary

Mar 13, 2018

Four Illinois men have been arrested on federal charges and authorities say three of them are suspected of taking part in the bombing and attempted bombing of a Minnesota mosque and an Illinois women’s health center last year. No one was injured in either incident.

Michael Hari, 47, a former sheriff’s deputy who was convicted of kidnapping his daughters and taking them to a Mennonite community in Central America more than 10 years ago, is accused of being the leader of a group that also includes Joe Morris, 22; Michael McWhorter, 29; and Ellis Mack, 18, all of Clarence, Illinois.

In YouTube videos, Hari called the group the “White Rabbit Three Percent Illinois Patriot Freedom Fighters Militia.” White rabbit is a reference to the “Follow the White Rabbit,” conspiracy theory, which you can read about here. Three percenters is a reference to the claim that only 3 percent of colonists fought against the tyrannical British government during the American Revolution and it is a term often used by anti-government milita groups.

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Lets just say these guys grasp of reality is a bit....tenuous.