Arrest of Three in Kansas for Plotting Bombing Against Muslims

On Friday, October 15, U.S. security forces arrested three members of a militia group who intended to carry out a bombing at a residential complex for Somali immigrants in Kansas. According to the Associated Press, these three individuals are part of a small militia group known as the 'Crusaders,' which supports extremist anti-government, anti-immigration, and anti-Islamic beliefs. The three, aged between 47 and 49, had been monitoring the apartments of Somali residents in Garden City, Kansas, for some time and had even prepared a statement for release after the explosion. The indictment against these individuals states that their bombing plan was motivated by 'their hatred of Muslims, of Somali descent, and immigrants, and to incite other militia groups to similar actions.' The report indicates that the criminals intended to carry out the bombing one day after the U.S. presidential election in November, which is scheduled for November 8. The arrest of these three individuals was the result of an eight-month investigation by the FBI, during which agents 'penetrated deep into the culture of hidden hatred and violence.' If convicted, the three individuals could face life imprisonment in a U.S. federal prison. Garden City is known for its industrial slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants, and between 300 to 500 Somali refugees reside in the city and its suburbs. John Berkey, a refugee affairs worker in Garden City, told the Associated Press that local people fear that these Muslim refugees are mistaken for Somali militants. Earlier this year, a speaking event by the Wichita Islamic Association at the Wichita mosque, the largest city in Kansas, was canceled due to security concerns. At that time, a militia group announced its intention to hold an armed protest outside the mosque.