June 25, 2009: Federal Authorities Arrest White Supremacists on Bombing, Weapons Charges

Federal authorities launch raids and arrests in three states based on four years of evidence compiled by a confidential informant who has managed to get close to white supremacists Dennis and Daniel Mahon (see January 26, 2005 and After). The Mahons’ home in Illinois is searched, as is a Missouri farm owned by survivalist Robert Joos and an Indiana home owned by supremacist leader Tom Metzger (see 1981 and After). The Mahons are arrested on suspicion of bombing a Scottsdale federal office (see February 26, 2004 and After), and Joos on weapons charges. Metzger is not arrested. Joos is later convicted and sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison. The Mahons will go on trial in 2012 (see January 10, 2012 and After). Metzger later says that he was released because he was innocent of any crime, and that he doubts the Mahon brothers are guilty of anything, either: “I have a hard time believing that they did it. I’ve always cautioned them against going across the line.” [TPM Muckraker, 1/10/2012]