Well, a terrorist entrepreneur. This guy in Colorado, who built homemade IED’s (improvised explosive devices) apparently was in it for the cocaine as well as the ideology:
A Colorado man, who said that he was an ex-Marine and claimed a “right-wing declaration of independence/constitutionalist political manifesto,” built improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to trade for cocaine and hoarded several military-style assault weapons that may have been converted to machine guns, the Department of Justice said on Thursday. […]
After receiving a tip from a Denver Police Department detective, ATF Special Agent Shane Abraham contacted Sandberg and told him he needed an explosive device to protect a building. Sandberg, who claimed to be “former Special Ops Recon SS Marine Corps,” allegedly said that he was in possession of “incendiary” or “napalm” explosives, but the devices were wrong for the job. The suspect then recommended a “frag” — or fragmentation device — and suggested that he could provide something that was also waterproof.
From the official statement by the US Attorney’s office for the District of Colorado:
After a number of phone conversations the undercover agent and the confidential informant went to Sandberg’s residence, where they were shown improvised explosive devices. Sandberg reportedly said he wanted to trade the devices for cocaine, or for $300 each.
During the meeting Sandberg made numerous threatening statements towards law enforcement and specifically ATF. He stated that he was a former Marine, which is when he learned how to build powerful explosive devices. At the conclusion of the meeting, Sandberg gave the undercover agent three devices, which contained explosive powder, a fuse and shrapnel in the form of stainless steel ball bearings. ATF confirmed that Sandberg was not allowed to possess such devices according to the National Firearms Registry.
“Improvised Explosive Devices – IEDs – are against federal law, and with good reason: They have no legitimate purpose, and put an entire neighborhood at risk,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “Thanks to strong cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement in this case, a person who built IEDs has been apprehended and those devices recovered and neutralized.”
I sure as heck hope the ATF found copies of his customer list. Hopefully this was his first attempt to make a sale of his IED’s, but one would be naive to assume that such is the case. Oh, and he had a sign that said “Fire Obama.” Perhaps he took that message a little too literally.
I’m very glad that he is in custody.
My spidey-sense has been tingling lately.
What sort of punishment will Mr. Sandberg be facing? I know that when the feds talk some 19-year-old into doing something they never would have been able to do on their own (complete with rent money, equipment and fake explosives), they go for the maximum possible sentence.
Mr. Sandberg looks a mite older than 19, certainly old enough to know better, and had everything he needed to carry out a little
terrorismcivil disobedience without any assist from the government. You think the prosecution will settle for 30 days in Club Fed, to be served on consecutive weekends (unless there’s a really important game on)? Or go for a whole 60 days to make an example of Mr. Sandberg?Let’s hope not.
hoarded several military-style assault weapons
Oh, all right then. If he owned guns, clearly he was part of a well-regulated militia. Isn’t that how it works?