Militia member 'filled with rage,' plotted ambush

The Grand Rapids Press ^ | Friday, October 17, 2003 | Ed White

[FourPeas]

Militia member 'filled with rage,' plotted ambush

Friday, October 17, 2003

By Ed White
The Grand Rapids Press

It was a rural arsenal fit for war.

After the peaceful arrest of a Cadillac-area man, authorities who searched his 40-acre compound discovered a stunning collection of firepower, including an anti-aircraft gun capable of firing 550 rounds per minute up to four miles away.

A van and a Jeep Cherokee, described by the suspect as his "war wagons," had machine guns inside, with one "locked, loaded and ready to go," Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Meyer said.

Agents found an underground bunker, thousands of rounds of ammunition, hundreds of pounds of gunpowder and manuals on guerrilla warfare, "booby traps" and explosives.

There were chilling pictures of President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld with the cross-hairs of a high-

see MILITIA, A4

powered rifle scope drawn over them, Meyer said.

Norman Somerville, 43, was arrested last week on federal gun and drug charges as he shopped at Home Depot in Cadillac. Authorities then spent the weekend combing his property in Wexford County's Antioch Township, about 20 miles northwest of Cadillac.

Details of the search were disclosed in a court document filed Thursday in federal court in Grand Rapids, four days before a judge will decide whether Somerville should remain in jail while his case is pending.

Somerville was "filled with rage and intended to ambush people, mowing them down in a hail of machine-gun bullets," Meyer said, quoting informants. He belongs to a "self-styled radical militia unit" whose members are upset over the death of Scott Woodring, the prosecutor said.

Woodring was the Newaygo County man fatally shot by state police during the summer, days after a trooper died while trying to serve him with an arrest warrant.

State police were told in September that Somerville wanted to cause a car accident, then "ambush and kill" any responding officers with a machine gun mounted in his Jeep, Meyer wrote in the court document.

An unidentified source, described as one of Somerville's "trusted associates," feared he had become "mentally unbalanced and would kill an innocent person or be killed," Meyer said.

Somerville may face additional charges linked to the search of his property, although Meyer declined to elaborate.

Two years ago, Somerville moved to Wexford County from elsewhere in northern Michigan. He served in the Army from 1978 to 1984 and was trained as an intelligence analyst assigned to the elite Special Forces.

During a brief court appearance last week in Grand Rapids, Somerville said: "The people will have their day. ... There's a quiet civil war going on in the country."

In Antioch Township, five miles outside Mesick, neighbors said he is not the type to share a cup of sugar.

"We told our kids to stay off his property. There was gunfire a lot," said Lynda Sherburne, a former township clerk who lives nearby. "Who knows where the stray bullets are going.

"He got angry very easily. No contact with him was the best contact."

Sherburne said her nephew's house shook as state and federal authorities detonated explosives found on Somerville's property.

"I don't think anyone realized he was stockpiling back there," she said.

[af_vet_1981]

I also believe it's ok to arrest someone for plotting to ambush and murder police officers. Why is that violating his rights?

I'm reluctantly beginning to suspect some people that post here are closet domestic terrorists and that is a sad thought.

[af_vet_1981]

You're the one who wants to restrict it. I see nothing wrong with an individual owning a tank if he wants one (and can afford one). Since the founding fathers issued "letters of marque and reprisal" commissioning what at the time was equivalent to private battleships neither did they.

Your position is untenable. I assume the vast majority of law-abiding and competent gun owners don't share it. It is a shame that liberals are able to find viewpoints like yours to further restrict the 2nd Amendment rights of responsible citizens whom we need to safeguard our liberty.

[Dead Corpse]

$50K to the right guy in Arzamas, Russia, and I have a nuke. Hell, I'll take out a second on my house and buy ten or so.

If it was that easy duma$$, Al Queda wouldn't have had to use 747's. Moron.

Let's assume that we're living in the real world, not your fantasy world where consequences do not exist.

You were the one that started stretching things to the extreme. Don't get pissed when it comes back at you.

Sure, no problem. Let me shoot off a 500kT ground burst with a 50% fission fraction 100 miles upwind of you, and then let's see what you look like in a week.

I did say safely didn't I? I coulda swore I said that. You aren't reading what was written again aren't you.

Because there is no such thing as a consequence-free nuke, except in your intellectual onanism.

Just as there are exceedingly few people who could, or would, own nukes in your absurdly stupid argument.

When he turned to planning to use those weapons against the cops, he was threatening their rights, along with the rights of any poor schmuck who happened to be in the area.

Who said he was planning it? Is all that is required now is one "informants" word and your convicted? Your standards for guilt need revising.

He intended to harm a bunch of people.

Says this article. I have heard no such admission from him. Even the cops are only going off of some un-named "informants" affirmation. Or can you suddenly read minds?

DC, if somebody is "mouthing off" about their intent to kill me, the cops had better catch him before I do.
I don't "arrest" or "detain" someone like that. I engage in preemptive--and permanently effective--self-defense.

If it is pre-emptive, it isn't self defense now is it? I assume you are male? You've got the equipment to be a rapist. Maybe we should put you in jail. All we need is one persons allegation after all right?

[Dead Corpse]

You mean I don't have anything to be angry about?

Just becaause others cannot exercise their Rights, does not mean that mine should be stripped from me as well. That is what lies at the heart of gun control legislation. Considering me a criminal without any criminal action on my part. Nor intent, just in case Pooh is doing the mind reading thing again.

If that isn't enough to get grumpy about, what is?

[tpaine]

from occupied ga
You're the one who wants to restrict it. I see nothing wrong with an individual owning a tank if he wants one (and can afford one). Since the founding fathers issued "letters of marque and reprisal" commissioning what at the time was equivalent to private battleships neither did they.

______________________________________

Your position is untenable. I assume the vast majority of law-abiding and competent gun owners don't share it. It is a shame that liberals are able to find viewpoints like yours to further restrict the 2nd Amendment rights of responsible citizens whom we need to safeguard our liberty.
342 -vet?-

---

'Vet', you really should tell the owner of this forum about his untenable positions:


"Yes, I support the Second Amendment. And I make no bones about its purpose or to whom it applies. It was not put in place so Bill and Hillary Clinton could go duck hunting with a shotgun or so Barbara Steisand could carry a derringer in her purse to stave off overzealous fans. It's there because the founders wanted to ensure that we the people (ie, individuals) should remain armed to defend ourselves from a government gone bad.
As far as I'm concerned, we should be allowed to park fully operational Sherman tanks in our garages and commute via fighter planes (if we wish). Now, personal nukes capable of taking out large cities.... hmmmm.... I don't know if I want to trust some of the crazier antiwar libs with those.
1,219 posted on 04/17/2003 5:04 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
__________________________________________


BTW, -- It is prefectly legal to own a tank..
A fella few miles away in Woodside CA owns on of the largest private collections in the world, and drives them around on his ranch regularily.

[tpaine]

Javelina
However, I do acknowledge that criminals should not be allowed to own guns, nor should lunatics. And, I acknowledge that if someone is plotting to murder policemen, then he should be picked up and have his guns confiscated until we're sure he isn't a threat.

______________________________________

This can be accomplished as part of a sentacing proceedure or committment hearing. There is no need for a blanket Law that affects the law abiding.

All gun control laws presuppose criminal intent without due process and are un-Constitutional on their face completely apart from the Second.

330 -DC-

---

Notice our legal whiz had no answer to your comment on the due process of prohibitory type laws on the possession of property.
[as in life, liberty & property]

Well made constitutional point, one that the closet authoritarians among us are unable to face.

[af_vet_1981]

I think it is an untenable position to claim the 2nd Amendment gives citizens the right to own armaments of any category including modern tanks, aircraft, nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. It is a sure way to get yourself and/or this site labeled as extremist, fringe, and dangerous. It would only serve to hurt the conservative cause and allow an open field for the liberals to further restrict the 2nd Amendment. I can't see why you want to do that. It is foolishness of the first order. The fact that you are trying to tie Jim Robinson to the argument makes it more senseless.

[af_vet_1981]

The Reason you are going to trust the government on this is because You DID NOT know Norman SOmerville.....He was not going after Bush....Please... I think Bush is an idiot and that doesn't mean i want him dead.... Norman didn't want anyone dead.....He was set up by militia members in our area that owed him money...... the truth WILL come out....

Several questions
1. Why do you think President Bush "is an idiot" ?
2. Why do you have Bibles and marijuana in your home ?
3. Does Norman have a criminal record ?

[af_vet_1981]

He thought they were idiots......

Fourth question:
Why did he think VicePresident Dick Cheney "was an idiot" ?

[kidd]

Thank you for the reply. I don't have a problem with his ownership of arms. But to put crosshairs on a picture of the President is going to make him highly suspicious in the eyes of the Secret Service. This is quite different than putting a crosshair on the drawing of your ex.

The Secret Service would be completely irresponsible if they did NOT take that seriously. You do understand that, don't you?

[Poohbah]

Cheney sold his interest in Halliburton when he joined became the Vice-Presidential candidate in 2000.

Halliburton is THE company that can do the sort of stuff that's involved in fixing Iraq. Every other company is an also-ran.