NEW JERSEY MILITIA

Urgent release

The New Jersey Militia has obtained a copy of an August, 1995, letter titled "Emergency Update on Militia Terrorists," signed by one Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center of Montgomery, Alabama. In it he refers to all militias as "domestic terrorist groups", "right-wing terrorist groups", "militia extremists" and "private armies". He asserts that "neo-Nazis [are] heavily involved in the anti-government militias" and links Timothy McVeigh, a convicted Oklahoma City bomber, to "militia groups". Dees states that "we [SPLC] track militia hate groups and private militia units. Our intelligence has shown that violence-prone extremists have been taking over the leadership of newly-formed militia groups…[N]o one--not the FBI or state agencies--has done more than the [SPLC's] Militia Task Force to expose hate groups and militias." He implies that militias are racist, and reports that "Over the years, we have built the most extensive computerized files on militias and hate groups in existence. They include over 11,000 photographs, records of over 61,000 hate activities, reports on 14,000 individuals who have committed hate acts or are affiliated with hate groups, and intelligence on over 3,200 hate group and militia organizations. Six times a year, we report our findings to over 6,000 law enforcement agencies in our Intelligence Report."

There you have it. According to Mr. Dees militias are terrorist, right-wing, extremist hate groups with ties to neo-Nazi and racist elements!

Mr. Dees identifies himself as the Chief Trial Counsel of the SPLC. "Poverty law" has evidently worked well for him; he reports that SPLC is a little over half way to its goal of a $100 million endowment. But that begs the question: where did he get the first $50 million? Our researchers believe that its source could be Executive Order 12333, "United States Intelligence Activities", signed by President Ronald Reagan on Dec. 4, 1981. Para. 2.7 states: "Agencies within the Intelligence Community are authorized to enter into contracts or arrangements for the provision of goods or services with private companies or institutions in the United States and need not reveal the sponsorship of such contracts or arrangements for authorized intelligence purposes." Could it be that Mr. Dees is a contract agent of the Attorney General, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms who slants his intelligence reports to suit his Federal paymasters? Without Federal funding how else could he put out a bi-monthly report to 6,000 law enforcement agencies and still be adding to his $50 million bank account?

But even if the SPLC is using donations to pay for its slanderous attacks on the militia grave questions still remain about the quality of the intelligence Mr. Dees is providing to law enforcers. If the police actually believe his untrue and hateful allegations the result could be tragic. For instance, did Sgt. Matt May of the Frazeyburg, Ohio, police department attend a training seminar based on Mr. Dees' inflammatory and unfounded reports, and therefore feel justified in killing militia chaplain Mike Hill? Was the Randy Weaver family of Ruby Ridge, Idaho, stigmatized as belonging to a "hate group" that by inference was worthy of death? Based on Mr. Dees' bi-monthly reports did the sheriff of Boundary County, Idaho, step aside and leave the fate of the "right-wing" Weavers to a U.S. Marshal Service SWAT team and FBI sharpshooters? And what about the Branch Davidians of Waco, Texas? How many of their photographs are in Mr. Dees' files? And who is Mr. Dees anyway to be keeping files on private citizens?

To prevent Ruby Ridge, Waco and Mike Hill-like incidents from occurring in New Jersey editors and law enforcers are requested to keep in touch with the New Jersey Militia, particularly before acting on any intelligence whatsoever provided by Mr. Morris Dees or the Southern Poverty Law Center.