Saturday, June 27, 2009

Anti-immigrant militia faces slay charges

ARIVACA, Ariz., June 27 (UPI) -- Three people described as U.S. border vigilante militia members have been charged with killing a man and his 10-year-old daughter in Arizona, officials say.
Jailed in Pima County, Ariz., on first-degree murder charges are Minutemen American Defense leader Shawna Forde, 41, and two other militia members, Jason E. Bush, 34, and Albert R. Gaxiola, 42. Prosecutors allege they entered the home of a suspected drug dealer, killing him and his daughter while looking for drug money to finance their vigilante operations, The New York Times reported Saturday.
Former militia member Merrill Metzger, Forde's half-brother, told the Times she had developed a plan to rob drug dealers to finance an underground militia set up to use violence against illegal immigrants entering the country from Mexico.
"I had to take an oath, and part of the oath was that I couldn't eat Mexican food," Metzger said. "That's when red flags went up all over for me. That seemed like prejudice."
Another former Minuteman told the newspaper he and Forde went on immigrant "hunting" excursions wearing camouflage and carrying handguns and rifles.
The newspaper said attorneys for the militia members did not respond to calls for comment.

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