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.

[Poohbah]

Where are the decisions made regarding policy toward other nations? Albany? Or Washington?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

You mean they didn't give him a psorting chance to kill the police in the final confrontation? The unconstimatooshinal nerve of those jackbooted thugs.

[Cultural Jihad]

Well, just because he murdered one policeman is no reason to assume that his raising a gun at the oncoming officers means he meant to shoot at them, too. Perhaps he wanted to just show them the worksmanship of the weapon, or ask them to read the serial number.

Seriously, anyone who thinks a cold-blooded murderer constitutes some poster child for responsible gun ownership needs to have their head examined.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

It took me a while, but I finally figured out their attitude toward law enforcement. In their utopian society, a sovereign citizen charged with a crime must be politely notified and asked if he will voluntarily submit to the jurisdiction of the court. If he disagrees, the law he is being charged under is automatically suspect as being unconstimatooshinal. At the same time, there is no authority which allows force in his apprehension, inasmuch as he has not yet been found guilty. It is only when he voluntarily submits when he can actually be tried.....

[Cultural Jihad]

Yep. That's what it's like in a Me-ocracy.

[dcwusmc]

Add me to the list of those who believe in gun control. Proper gun control is the only SURE means of hitting your target. All else is victim disarmament, which I adamantly oppose.

[dcwusmc]

When I can afford a battleship and an amphibious assault ship, I will get them. Until then, I will have to limp along with only a few M-79s, Ma Deuce, and a couple of 106mm recoilless rifles. Maybe I'll mount some miniguns on the assault helos in the back yard. And, yes, I am serious. I would have them all if my pockets were sufficiently deep. YOU are a disgrace to the uniform with your attitude.

[Cultural Jihad]

LOL! Thanks for the ideologue chuckle!

[dcwusmc]

It's known as having principles, but I would hardly expect you to be familiar with the term. BTW, unlike some (VERY few) others, I have not bothered to miss your postings.

[CWOJackson]

"...whose members are upset over the death of Scott Woodring..."

Well, I have to admit that Woodring's death upset me also. It's a shame the sick arse wasn't put down before he had a chance to kill an innocent police officer. I hope that if there is every any evidence that one of these disgruntled people aided him in any way, any way whatsoever, that they go down for a long, long time.

[CWOJackson]

Morning CJ. All of this for Woodring...or for someone who is upset over his being put down?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

...like the rabid dog he was.

[CWOJackson]

From what I read about this fruitcake sounds like he was far more then just a Woodring cheerleader.

[tpaine]

It took me a while, but I've finally figured out your little groups attitude toward law enforcement.

In your ideal communitarian society,
the law can do no wrong. Authorities must be obeyed for the good of the social order.
With a proper Chancellor in charge, there is no need for a constimatooshin.

One Group! One Homeland! One Chancellor!

[tpaine]

It took me a while, but I've finally figured out your little groups attitude toward law enforcement.

In your ideal communitarian society, the law can do no wrong. Authorities must be obeyed for the good of the social order. With a proper Chancellor in charge, there is no need for a constimatooshin.

One Group! One Homeland! One Chancellor!

[Catspaw]

It took me a while, but I finally figured out their attitude toward law enforcement. In their utopian society, a sovereign citizen charged with a crime must be politely notified and asked if he will voluntarily submit to the jurisdiction of the court. If he disagrees, the law he is being charged under is automatically suspect as being unconstimatooshinal. At the same time, there is no authority which allows force in his apprehension, inasmuch as he has not yet been found guilty. It is only when he voluntarily submits when he can actually be tried.....

There's that, but they're also more than willing to use the federal courts to sue. Of course, they do get into a pickle in court when, after filing lawsuits, they walk into the courtroom and say, "I don't recognize the jurisdiction of the court." This has prompted more that a few judges to ask, "if you're the one bringing the lawsuit, but you don't recognize the jurisdiction of the court, why are you here?"

[Ches]

Left Wing Militia Whacko Exposed - Just Add Camo

[Admin Moderator]

Catspaw has asked that you not direct any posts to him. Please respect his wishes.

[CWOJackson]

That is funny...thanks.

[tpaine]

Catspaw is a woman, and I merely copied a ping groups list.

Busy morning aye?