A U.S. Army veteran tied to white supremacists pleaded guilty to planting a pipe bomb along the Martin Luther King Day parade route in Spokane, Wash., in January, the Associated Press reports.
U.S. Marshals Service
By Michael Winter, USA TODAY


Wash. Army vet pleads guilty to planting MLK parade bomb

A U.S. Army veteran tied to white supremacists pleaded guilty to planting a pipe bomb along the Martin Luther King Day parade route in Spokane, Wash., in January, the Associated Press reports.

The backpack containing the bomb was found beforehand, and the explosive was defused. Authorities said the bomb, which was loaded with lead fishing weights coated in a chemical, could have caused mass casualties.

Days before his trial, Kevin Harpham, 37, of Addy, Wash., pleaded guilty today to attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and to an attempted hate crime. His father planned to testify against him.

He could face 27 to 32 years in prison when sentenced Nov. 30.

Federal authorities said Harpham, who eluded capture until March, has extensive ties to white supremacist groups.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, has said Harpham made more than 1,000 postings on the Vanguard News Network. The center said he belonged to a neo-Nazi group called the National Alliance.

Harpham served from 1996 to 1999 in the U.S. Army at what is now Joint Base Lewis-McChord, near Tacoma. His lawyers said he was unemployed.

The Spokesman-Review has more about the plea and the case.

 

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Send Comments ASKFMB OPINION

Today is

Racist of this type, is a threat to the U.S., and
Ought to be sent to Gitmo

 

This is a very serious concern for several reasons. The most valuable lesson that we must learn is that a terrorist act of any kind, are equally as devastating, and are equally as hateful. Around the world, home grown terrorist or terrorist that find their way on your land, and successfully, blow people up, is the most serious act that can take place on any nation's land.

In 4 days, we morn the 9/11 event, in which, racist of another kind, brought terror to our land, killing thousands, impacting millions psychologically, emotionally and in many cases, affect some for the rest of their lives.

This Racist, attempted to match that same degree of terror, focusing on a specific group, yet, with the same degree of expectations of results, and thise leads one to ask.., Which Racist Is Worse...???  
Neither, both have the same intent, one terrorist attack was successful, and one wasn't.

Yet, this white racist, actually served in our U.S. Military, learning the skills of military style planning and attacking, which he clearly displayed in his attempt, and similar to the reasons why the U.S. refuse to prosecute the Gitmo prisoners here in the U.S., this racist had full rein to spread his hate to others in the military. 

Which, cause us to simply ask, "Why was this guy in the military, and why didn't the military recognize that this guy was a practicing racist?  I'd love answers to those questions, because a person with this degree of hate, simply does not keep silent or keep his opinion to himself. 

We know that the Military is the biggest "good old boy network in the world", but, to ignor a racist of this extent, is not surprising at all.  I'd even go so far as to suggest that some racist leaders in the military would turn a blind eye to allow this type of racist among the ranks, just to ensure that hate remains and continues. 

This type of racist is a direct decedent of racist of the past, who honed the act of terrorism with impunity, they passed that same vile hate to their children, their friends, any one who would listen to their ignorance.

The Reality is, these type of people ought to be treated the same as the terrorist in gitmo, meaning, our leaders refuse to put gitmo prisoners on trial on U.S. soil, because if they are allowed to spew their hate in our jails, there is a possibility that terrorist can turn our prisoners against us..... so what's the difference here?

Our leaders realize that ignorance rein in our prison systems, so, to allow this person in our jails, to influence others, is simply the same as allowing a Gitmo prisoner to enter our jails to influence like minded people. 

One thing I know for sure, if there were a black group somewhere in the mountains, practicing this degree of hate, and have one among them that would actually attempt to blow up a parade, this black group would have been shut down by our federal government "Most Cosh". 

Racist of this kind, of any race color, have to be stopped, and not simply controlled due to "freedom of speech", because this type of racism is a threat to each and every American Citizen, similar to Timothy McVeigh and the terrorist who attacked our land, 10 years ago. 

In My Opinion

ASMFMB
9/7/11

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