Last of Nine Alleged Cop-Killing Plotters Arrested
The Hutaree planned to ambush law enforcement with IEDs, court documents say.
March 29, 2010— -- The last of nine people indicted in a plot to kill police officers was arrested this evening at a home in Hillsdale County, Mich.
Joshua Matthew Stone, 21, was captured without incident Monday evening, authorities told ABC News.
Authorities say Stone was one of two sons of David Brian Stone, 45, the alleged ringleader of the Christian militia group called Hutaree.
The anti-government militia allegedly plotted to kill law enforcement officers with improvised explosive devices and projectiles before being foiled by FBI raids that started Sunday in three states that netted nine members of an extremist group, federal authorities said today.
Four members of David Stone's family including his wife, Tina Stone, 44, and his two adult sons allegedly conspired with five other members of the fringe Christian militia group to kill a Michigan law enforcement officer and then ambush the officer's colleagues who would have gathered for the funeral, according to court documents.
The other people indicted include, David Brian Stone Jr., 19, of Adrian, Mich., Joshua Clough, 28, of Blissfield, Mich., Michael Meeks, 40, of Manchester, Mich., Thomas Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Ind., Krisopher Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, Ohio, and Jacob Ward, 33, of Huron, Ohio -- are in custody.
All were indicted by a federal grand jury of seditious conspiracy, attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, teaching the use of explosive materials and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. They appeared in court this morning but no pleas were made.
Court documents charge that the group had plotted as the Hutaree since 2008. David Stone researched explosive devices on the Internet and directed son Joshua Stone and others to gather the necessary materials, authorities said.
Stone's ex-wife, Donna Stone, told The Associated Press that her former husband took things too far.
"It started out as a Christian thing," said Donna Stone, 44. "You go to church. You pray. You take care of your family. I think David started to take it a little too far. He dragged a lot of people with him."
In June 2009, authorities allege, Stone and his youngest son David Stone Jr. began teaching other Hutaree how to make and use the explosives. They were to have been used against law enforcement officials as they drove in the funeral procession for the first officer they intended to kill as bait.
The first alleged target was not named. Among their plans for the first murder, according to court documents, was to kill the officer at a traffic stop, kill the officer and his or her family at home or make a phony 911 call to lure the officer into a trap.
Based in Lenawee County, Mich., the Hutaree are described by officials as an extremist group. Their Web site says the name means "Christian warrior" and claims it is preparing to defend itself for the impending arrival of the anti-Christ.
Most of the Hutaree members arrested had aliases, such as "Pale Horse," "Azzurlin" and "Guhighllo." David Stone's listed aliases were "RD," "Stonewall" and "Captain Hutaree."
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