Southern Poverty Law Center
Active "Patriot" Groups in America in 2009
The SPLC Intelligence Project identified 512 "Patriot" groups that were active in
2009. Of these groups, 127 were militias, marked with an asterisk; and the remain-
der includes "common-law" courts, publishers, ministries and citizens' groups.
Generally, Patriot groups define themselves as opposed to the "New World Order,"
engage in groundless conspiracy theorizing, or advocate or adhere to extreme
antigovernment doctrines. Listing here does not imply that the groups themselves
advocate or engage in violence or other criminal activities, or are racist.
The list was compiled from field reports, Patriot publications, the Internet, law
enforcement sources and news reports. Groups are identified by the city, county
or region where they are located. Michigan is home to 34 documented militias
among 47 Patriot groups. Militias below are denoted by an asterisk.
— SPLC, intelligence report/spring 2010
PATRIOT GROUPS IN MICHIGAN
AMERICA FIRST PARTY OF MICHIGAN: Ypsilanti
CONSTITUTION PARTY (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan): Grand Rapids
DELTA 5 MOBILE LIGHT INFANTRY MILITIA*: Eaton County
EAST-CENTRAL VOLUNTEER MILITIA OF MICHIGAN*: Lapeer County
HUTAREE MILITIA*: Southern Michigan
JACKSON COUNTY VOLUNTEERS*: Jackson County
JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY: Statewide
LENAWEE COUNTY FREE AND INDEPENDENT MILITIA*: Adrian
MICHIGAN MILITIA*: Redford
MICHIGAN MILITIA CORPS WOLVERINES 8TH DIVISION*: South Central
MICHIGAN PATRIOT ALLIANCE*: Counties: Arenac, Bay, Cheboygan,
Clinton, Crawford, Genesee, Gladwin, Gratiot, Jackson, Lapeer, Macomb,
Midland, Oakland, Oceana, Presque Isle, Saginaw, St. Clair,
Sanilac, Shiawassee, Tuscola
NORTHERN MICHIGAN BACKYARD PROTECTION MILITIA*: Northern Michigan
OATH KEEPERS: Statewide
PATRIOT BROADCASTING NETWORK: Dexter
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER MILITIA*: Livingston County, Macomb
County, Oakland County, Washtenaw County, Wayne County
WE ARE CHANGE: Battle Creek, Clio, Detroit, Flint,
Royal Oak, Schoolcraft, Statewide
WEST MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER MILITIA*: Muskegon County
WE THE PEOPLE: Statewide
* Indicates Militias
12
April 8 • 2010
Clockwise from top left: David Stone Sr., Tina Stone, David Stone Jr., Jacob
Ward, Joshua Clough, Michael Meeks, Kristopher Sickles and Thomas Piatek.
Not shown: Joshua Stone.
Hutaree Jailed
Nine "Christian soldiers" are
ordered held without bond.
Alan Hitsky
Associate Editor
F
ederal prosecutors told a
magistrate in Detroit on
April 2 that David Stone Sr.
created his own words to describe his
Christian militia's adversaries. Those
who he claimed undermined the U.S.
Constitution were called "Elitists In
Charge:'
Stone, of Clayton, Mich., between
Jackson and the Ohio border, was
one of nine members of the Hutaree
group charged with building bombs
and planning to slaughter hundreds
of law enforcement officers — the
"Brotherhood" Stone called them
— in a plot to overthrow the federal
government.
The magistrate in U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of
Michigan in Detroit ordered the nine
held without bond. Lawyers for the
nine are appealing the decision, claim-
ing they are neither dangerous nor a
flight risk.
Federal prosecutors said Stone was
the leader of Hutaree — a name he
made up to describe his "Christian
warriors:' Stone's 21-year-old son,
Joshua Stone, served as second-in-
command.
The others jailed while awaiting
trial are: Stone's new wife, Tina Stone,
44; his 19-year-old adopted son,
David Stone Jr.; Joshua Clough, 28, of
Blissfield, Mich.; Kristopher Sickles,
27, of Sandusky, Ohio; Michael Meeks,
40, of Manchester, Mich.; Jacob Ward,
33, of Huron, Ohio; and Thomas
Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Ind.
The suspects' lawyers say they are
a group of disgruntled Americans
arrested for speaking their minds.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Falvey said they
planned to turn talk into action.
"Owning guns is not a crime.
Wearing uniforms is not a crime.
Training is not a crime Falvey said.
"But when persons with dark hearts
and evil intent get together and con-
spire to oppose by force with firearms
and violence the authority of the
United States, it is a crime'
Robert Dudley, 80, of North Adams,
Mich., agreed to allow the Hutaree
to use his woods for training. They
gathered three or four times a year,
he said. "They were sneaking around,
trying to be invisible Dudley said.
The men had guns, he said, but he
never heard them fire.
The group's Web site shows videos
of the members training in the woods
and firing semi-automatic rifles.
According to prosecutors, Stone's
goal was to take over a handful of
counties in southeast Michigan to
lure the enemy to him. Assistant U.S.
Attorney Ronald Waterstreet told the
magistrate that Stone "believed that
war was approaching, and therefore he
needed to train harder."
Hutaree members regularly
talked about killing police officers,
Waterstreet said. In one scenario, they
would kill one officer, then ambush
officers attending the slain officer's
funeral.
A grand jury indictment unsealed
last week charged the nine defen-
dants with seditious conspiracy and
attempted use of weapons of mass
destruction.
The Hutaree Web site describes the
group as a Christian militia preparing
for battle with forces of the Antichrist.
But prosecutors say the case is not
about religion, but a group of people
who want to wage war on the U.S. gov-
ernment. Li
This story was compiled from newspapers
and wire services.