According to FBI Special Agent In Charge Greg Bretzling, and per a FBI press release, the second thing that will take place at the refuge after clearing the buildings (of people possibly hiding), the agency will need to clear the area of any potential explosive-related hazards.
The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge remains closed, and it will remain closed for some number of weeks. During this time, law enforcement will continue to man checkpoints at the edge of the refuge to maintain the security of this crime scene.
Most immediately, FBI agents are inspecting and securing the buildings and any other areas of concern on the refuge to ensure that no one else is hiding. This process will take some number of hours.
Following that tactical clearing of the refuge, a team of FBI Special Agent Bomb Technicians, detectives with the Oregon State Police Arson/Explosives Unit, and bomb technicians from the Portland Police Bureau and Oregon Air National Guard will methodically work their way through the property to locate and mitigate any explosive-related hazards. This process could take several days. source [bolding mine]
Today, Rawstory reports that an anonymous law enforcement source confirmed this concern:
“They [the militants] spoke to us about booby traps. We don’t know how sophisticated or what kind,” said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Materials to create explosives could be found on the refuge, the official said, because workers there previously performed controlled burns of the land.
The press conference is available on You Tube, and below. Questions to FBI are at the end.
In a video taken by now-arrested so-called “journalist” Pete Santilli of the first conversation between Ammon Bundy and FBI representatives, Ammon let them know they were aware of explosive materials at the refuge fire station but did not intend to use them. That video now appears to have been taken down from Santilli’s You Tube station.
There is a just a bit of the end of the conversation on that topic at the very beginning of a short video of the impromptu meeting which took place on January 21 at the Burns Airport between the FBI and Ammon Bundy. The statement is at the very beginning of the video embedded in this story where Ammon says,
“ … it would take somebody that would know what they were doing to use them [explosives] but anyway… “
So whether this is hype or real, I don’t know. I hope it’s just hype.
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This is how I personally feel about them being gone and the beginning of normalcy for the refuge:
They have such a long road in front of them, but the refuge will get back on its feet. If you feel inspired, there is a place to donate:
www.malheurfriends.org
I know many of you in Oregon may go and personally donate time and may have already donated money.
Malheur gets my political donations this month. I know my candidate would understand.
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25 people have now been charged for their actions in the armed takeover.
Link to Oregon Live article about the newest two arrests is here.
Their names were the last two to remain redacted in the most recent indictment linked to the occupation to be unsealed. source ibid
Stanek is from the Portland, Oregon area, specifically the suburb area of Cornelius. His Facebook page is here. Booking photo, etc.
Information on Cox was not available, however he may be from Bend, Oregon.
A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed Thursday revealing the names of more individuals in relation to the Oregon standoff. At that time, two remained free and unknown:
A federal indictment naming seven more people associated with the occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was unsealed Thursday.
The seven named were Blaine Cooper, Corey Lequieu, Neil Wampler, Jason Charles Blomgren, Darryl William Thorn, Wesley Kjar and Eric Lee Flores. Two other names were redacted. source
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Blaine Cooper, an AZ resident that has basically been on the run since the first arrests in Burns, was arrested this morning in Southern Utah. He has a long and sordid history of possible border patrol activities, charges for various crimes, and is an Islamaphobe. He is also guilty of stolen valor. He will be moved to Portland at some point.
Cooper was a bodyguard for Cliven Bundy in the 2014 Nevada standoff. It is reported by ADL that prior to going to Oregon, Cooper was in Seattle, Washington with Jon Ritzheimer (another under indictment) at a protest for Schuyler Barbeau on weapons charges. Barbeau was also at the 2014 Cliven debacle, serving as a bodyguard of Cliven, and was arrested on federal firearms charges in December of 2015.
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Corey Lequieu, of Nevada, appears to have been at the 2014 Cliven event (FBook page), and is cited as an anti-government (ADL). ADL cites several racist statements made against the president. He and his fiance (a cook at the refuge) were at the refuge standoff in Oregon:
Pope’s fiance, Corey Lequieu, said he would not be surprised if the militia stayed for months [at the refuge]. He cited the Indian occupation of Alcatraz Island in California, which went on for 19 months in 1969 and 1970. “This isn’t going to happen overnight,” said Lequieu, who works for a hauling company. But he said he did hope the refuge occupation ultimately was shorter than the Alcatraz takeover. “I don’t want to be here for that long. I’ve gotta get back to work.” source my parens
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Neil Wampler, a California resident, is an excon that served time for murdering his father. He was at the refuge standoff. ADL also places him at the Bundy standoff in 2014.
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Jason Charles Blomgren ( aka Joker J), from North Carolina, facebook page here, was, most recently, an alleged bodyguard for Cliven Bundy. He was arrested in a Walmart parking lots in Nevada while Cliven was arrested at the Portland Airport Wednesday, 10 February. He was seen on video with Jon Ritzcracker at the Oregon refuge. Other history is unknown. On a video, Jason claims to have been in the City of John Day (where meeting was to be held) in charge of a POC, when the original arrests/shooting took place in Harney County.
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Darryl William Thorn of Washington. No information available. UPDATE: Was arrested in Oregon. Booking photo, etc.
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Wesley Kjar of Utah. Alleged to be one of Ammon Bundy's bodyguards.
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Eric Lee Flores of Washington. No information available. UPDATE: Tulalip Tribal Police and Seattle-based FBI agents arrested Flores Thursday morning, federal authorities said. He was arrested in Tulalip, Washington.
A complete list with interactive map of states where those so far arrested came from can be found here. I’m sorry, Oregon, that California contributed the murderer. I apologize. We’ll try to do better next time.
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Meanwhile, I’ve been spending WAY too much time on the nut sites, but this I can tell you; they are not happy. In fact, I’d say some are downright freaked out. Can I get a big AW, poor baby?
I’d really love to figure out how to up their paranoia. Fact is, though, many, many of them have very good reason, right now, to be paranoid.
Meanwhile, the very important investigators among the nuts with sources deep in the government (!) are checking on rumors that more than 60 more warrants are out there waiting to be served, the criminals arrested. That number varies from site to site, no doubt inflated, deflated and reinflated to suit the narrative. I just hope it’s true.
They are, however, conferencing and talking about what to do next, lessons learned, and why this failed so miserably. Very, very deep, deep analysis. I mean delusion.
Photo Below: I prefer my lede:
Police direct early incoming cranes and swans to their feeding and resting areas. Before the standoff ended, it was reported that some early migrants had already arrived.
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Hahahahahahaha. But not nearly enough. All of us that had to watch his videos need personal reimbursement, as well. I alone am due thousands for coffee, worry and needed future therapy.
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As for Utah’s great hopes for acquiring federal lands, this editorial from the Salt Lake Tribune is worth a read:
A bill from state Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, might as well be titled the Utah Public Lands Fairies and Unicorns Act for all the chances it has of actually setting the rules for any territory. But the proposal, House Bill 276, at least takes seriously the colossal responsibility the state would take on if the windmills it is tilting at ever fall.
...
Both the authorship and the wording of the bill raise alarms that the preservation of public lands for such things as wilderness, watershed protection, historic and archeological values would be ignored in favor of destructive exploitation.
source [my bolding]
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. I love the renaming of the bill.
Gee, that second paragraph is just so unexpected. Koch much?
Nonetheless, it’s important to remember that while crazy Michele Fiore might have helped bring the refuge take over to a close, she’s still crazy.
As a member of the Coalition of Western States (eh hem, COWS), is it surprising to find nutty conspiracy and faux constitution talk all over that site similar to the argle bargle she barfed up during the hours long praying and cajoling? Nah. It’s SOP.
Don’t be fooled, though. These two forces, along with many others will help to bring about even more problems in the west. So while you are digging out those hipwaders, you, too, may want to invest in a new and more accurate BS Detector. Cuz it’s coming at us in a big way for the next little while.
I’m also thinking the very legislators that belong to this group should be billed for all the trouble they cause since everyone else has to pick up the pieces and the tab. Jerks.
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