A number of militia supporters and anti-federal government advocates hail from Arizona. William Cooper of St. Johns has broadcast a nightly shortwave radio program, "Hour of the Time," promoting militias and "New World Order" conspiracy theories. Gerald "Jack" McLamb. a former Phoenix policeman and founder of Police Against the New World Order. aims to convince law enforcement officials of a plot to create a one-world government. McLamb targets a law enforcement audience with his conspiracy tract, Operation Vampire Killer 2000, and a newsletter, Aid & Abet, co-produced with Mesa police officer Rick Dalton. Another lawman, Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack, has spoken at "patriot" gatherings about his successful suit against the U.S. Government to avoid enforcement of the Brady Law in his county, an action that has earned him the admiration of militiamen nationwide.

Actual militia organizing in the state has occurred in the areas of Phoenix, Prescott, Payson, Snowflake, Kingman, Pinedale and the Four Corners, with some continued growth since the Oklahoma City bombing.

In April 1995. two men from Snowflake with reported ties to a militia were charged with illegal conspiracy to manufacture. possess and sell 20 grenades to a federal undercover agent. Kenneth Zesk, 40. and Danny Fite, 26. reportedly said that their group was arming itself for a confrontation with the federal government. The charges are pending.

On May 23, 1995, Stephen Gehring, a Mesa attorney and reputed leader of the Payson-based Militia of Arizona, was charged with fraudulent schemes and hindering prosecution, stemming from an alleged attempt to pass bogus money orders. Gehring is accused of trying to use the notes to pay off a property tax bill and to post bail for another reported militiaman, Ricki John Lawhon.

ADL Fact Finding Report, "Beyond the Bombing: The Militia Menace Grows," Anti-Defamation League, 1995.

The original plaintext version of this file is available via ftp.

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