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Show With a Gunat His Side, a 2 | Utah Neo-Nazi Says FBI Is the Real Enemy By Vince Horiuchi THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Wherever Johnny Bangerter goes, he packs a weapon. Even when he walks into the grocery store at La Verkin in southern Utah, the white separatist carries his Colt .45-caliberin a side holster. He keeps a 12-gauge “street sweeper” shotgun in his car. Utah's best known neo-Nazi skinhead, leader of the ArmyofIsrael, is ready for the big battle — notwith blacks, Latinos or Asians. He is waiting to fight the feds. ‘If the FBI tries anything, we'll just have to defend ourselves,” says the La Verkin ironworker. “If they do come, we'll shootit out.” Inside this 25-year-old husbandandfather of fouris a raging hatred for federal agents, whom he calls “wicked tyrants.” Bangerter’s fury has ripened since federal officers killed the wife and son of separatist Randy Weaver on Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, and stormed the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas, in 1993. “These guys are murderers,” Bangoe screams.“I wantto get these sons of The shootout at Weaver's mountain homeleft a lasting impression on Bangerter because he claims to have been friends of the family for nearly nine years. Bangerter even went to Ruby Ridge during the standoff to lend moral support. “Every night I go to bed and every morning I wake up, I think aboutit, and I get depressed aboutit,” he says. ‘I don’t sleep anymore.” Bangerter’s Army of Israel is a Nazibased paramilitary-style group that came to Utah from Las Vegas aboutthree years ago. It is part of the national movement known as the Christian Identity Skinheads. His band of skinheads, many tattooed with swastikas, is bent on establishing an ancestral homeland for Anglos in Zion National Park. They consider white federal agents “racetraitors,” claim Jewish people control the “international banking system,” say homosexuals mustbekilled “as the Bible says’’ andinsist that ethnic groupsare diluting white purity by mating outside their race. In La Verkin, Army of Israel's ranks have been growing since news of the a; poe ER Neo-Nazi skinhead Johnny Bangerter attends an ArmyofIsrael dem- onstration in Salt Lake City in 1991. Oklahoma bombing, Bangerter claims. He estimates there are more than 700 membersin Utah, Nevada and Colorado. Utah Division of Investigations Sgt. Scott Mann says the numberis morelike 50 to 100. Between two andfive skinhead groups nowflourish in Utah, state officials say. Butauthorities deny they are monitoring any of them, including ArmyofIsrael. “That would beillegal for me to do,” Mann says. “If there are rumors that come in, we will normally lookinto it, but we don’t maintain any intelligence on those groups.” Bangerter scoffs at the authorities’ assertion that Armyof Israel is not being watched. Since the Oklahoma bombing, federal agents have been stalking Bangerter and his family, he says. Agents wanted to speak with him two weeks ago when they learned Oklahoma bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh stayed in a St. George motel. Bangerterrefused. “They wantto arrest me now,” hefrets. “They're trying to get me. . alone, unarmed and without the media.” Salt Lake County reportedly is the home of many Aryan-based skinheads, police say. The Skins for White Indepen- Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune Members of ArmyofIsrael in 1992, with leader Johnny Bangerter saluting in back, want a whites-only homeland in Zion National Park. The neo-Nazi group is part of the national Christian Identity Skinheads. “ 2 : We don’t maintain any intelligence on those groups.”” SGT. SCOTT MANN Utah Division of Investigations dence (SWI), like ArmyofIsrael, is a separatist group trying to build a whites-only homeland in Utah. The group was spawned in Layton in 1992. Many members have movedto Salt LakeCity, says Layton police Det. Kurt Cottrell. Jerry Jacobs, the group’s leader, and two other members were convicted two years ago for stockpiling 24 weaponsfor a Layton member who wasfeuding with an African Americanliving in his apartment complex Jacobs says there are about a dozen SWI members living in Utah. But he would not elaborate, explaining he could not talk because heis on probation. Smaller skinhead groups around the state are “mostly street gangs,” involved in little more than graffiti, Mann says. ArmyofIsrael has not been responsible for any reported criminal activity, Patriot Aims: Constitutionalists Seek a More Perfect Union By Vince Horiuchi THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Fred Willoughbypoints proudly to the large painting abovehis brick fireplace. “The strength of America is right there,” says the 58-year-old Midvale man. “That's the key.”” In the Arnold Friberg artwork, George Washington is beside his white horse, kneeling in prayerat Valley Forge. “We're losing the principles that made America great,” says Willoughby, a former cop, probation officer and drug counselor. “A one-world governmentis greatifit is led by God, butit isn't.It’s led by secularists and humanists.” Burninginside this otherwiseslight, pleasant man is a passion for patriotism and constitutional rights that runs so hot most people would label him an extremist. But he prefers to be called a constitutionalist or ‘studentof the Constitution.” “I get upset when the news media tag the Constitutionalists as kooks, right-wing fanatics and white supremacists,” he says. “The word ‘constitutionalist’ should be held in high esteem.” Willoughby, wholives in a comfortable condominium with his wife, certainly does notfit the stereotype of a “kook.” When interviewed, he wears a striped Oxford shirt, cotton slacks and brown loafers. Hebelieves separatist Randy Weaver's family was murdered by deputy U.S. marshals at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. He calls the siege at the Branch Davidian complex in Waco “genocide, a holocaust,” insisting federal agents started fires that killed more than 80 people in the compound. Willoughby, who owns a water-treatment business, also belongs to a loose-knit group of constitutionalists made up of law-enforcement officers and soldiers. They worry that the governmentis establishing a national police force to strip citizens of their rights. The group, which hasno official name, was created by former Phoenix police officer Jack McLamb He writes and edits Aid & Abet, a newsletter that encouragesits 6,000 nationwide subscribers — most- ly officers and soldiers — to enforce the Constitution “Utahis oneof our biggest states because the Mormon peoplebelieve in the Constitution, and a lot of these officers and soldiers are Mormon,” said McLamb. ‘Thereis an affiliated group called Police Against The New World Order, which published a 76-page manual, Operation Vampire Killer 2000. It spells out the “American police action plan for stopping world governmentrule.” McLamb workedas an officer in the Phoenix Police Department for 10 years before he decided his colleagues were ignoring the constitutional rights they swore to uphold. Today, he uses seminar speeches and his newsletter to push the notion that governmentcontrol has gonetoofar. No one seemsto know how manyconstitutionalists live in Utah. Salt Lake County sheriff's Det. Dave Burdett says groups that do exist in the county “don’t seem to have bylaws or rules. They kind of make it up as they go along.” Mann says. But Bangerter acknowledges trouble. His gunsare unregistered. It also is illegal for him to own the “street sweeper’ shotgun under the Brady law Two weeks ago, Bangerter threatened to kill Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatchif hevotes for anti-terrorist legislation Therisks do notrattle Bangerter, a sec ond cousin to former Utah Gov. Norm Bangerter. He says ArmyofIsrael is fully armedand in a state of readiness We're fighting to bring in our Father's kingdom,” he thunders. “If we have to fight for it, we will take up arms." “{ have tested the law, andI’ve hopefully educated some governmentofficials on what I’m trying to do... I may bea radical in that I’m out of step with mainstream America.”” FRED WILLOUGHBY Constitutionalist Most are not considered dangerous. While some members mayhavefirearms, ‘they are not stockp1| ing them as a group,” Burdett says. With few exceptions, the detective adds, constitu tionalists are law-abiding citizens. Generally, the most egregious crimes they commit are refusing to renewdriver licenses or register their vehicles Willoughby doesnotcollect firearms or spout rac ist comments. He acknowledges breaking somelaws but will not say which ones. Ihavetested thelaw, and I'vehopefully educated some government officials on whatI'm trying to do he addswryly. “I maybea radical in that I’mout of step with mainstream America Zealots Dig In to Keep Land Lost to Taxes By Christopher Smith THE SALT LAKETRIBUNE VANCE SPRINGS — Way, way out in the Wah WahValley, the promised land is surrounded by a barbed-wire fence posted with “No Trespassing” signs. It is a square-mile of desert flecked with juniper trees, a ‘place of residence and sanctuary for the few humble followers of Christ who are members, subjects and visitors of the Fraternity of Preparation preparing themselves for acceptance into the Kingdom of God.” But taxes camedue before the Rapture arrived. Since moving to the 640 acres in western Beaver County in 1986, members of the so-called Imanuel Foundation and Fraternity of Preparation have claimed the land is “property dedicated to God,” and the almighty is ‘‘tax-immune.” Myron Hamilton, a steward of the Imanuel Foundation, told 5th District Judge Philip Eves there is a simple reason property taxes on Vance Springs never have been paid: “Your Honor,I don't know that God has everseen a tax notice or an assessment from the county." Countered Eves: “God doesn't hold title to it, as far as the state of Utah is concerned,” Religious zealotry has a long history in Utah, In 1988, the tradition turned deadly whenthe Singer-Swappclan of polygamists bombed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Kamas and barricaded themselves in their Marion compound, Corrections officer Fred House was killed in a 13-day siege that ensued Whetherit is plural marriagesor build. ing permits, these religious groups em- Chriecopher Sanith/The Salt Lake Tribune Members*of the Fraternity of Preparation say the land surrounding their compoundis God's and therefore not subject to earthly tax laws. body a basic conflict; serving the laws of God vs, those of humankind “We do have a problem With our deepkoe religious convictions and this is that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, ‘night, mind and strength andweare to serve no other,” says William Talmage Weis, a founder of the Imanuel Foundation. The group's charter sets the stage for a holy war over Vance Springs, stating that “any challenge or action or attack upon this foundation shall be deemedto be an attack against God.” Inside the fenced compound, several men, women and children live under a “united order’ regime, an early Mormon cooperative enterprise ofself-sufficiency in which all members pledge to share property and wealth. Weis says coming together as a united order is ‘more im- portantto us than going to a meeting once a week and bowing your head and praying.” In several state and federalcourtcases, the foundation members — none of whom is a licensed attorney — have argued the land at Vance Springs is exempt from property tax because it has been consecrated to God. Residents claim they are an “apostolic religious fraternity.” Beaver County officials have told the group to apply with the Board of Equalization, the Internal Revenue Service and the Utah State Tax Commission to secure any tax-exerapt status, but members have refused, arguing those entities have no jurisdiction over them. “They seem to want to be a state unto themselves,” sys Salt Lake attorney Dale Lambert, who has represented Beaver County officials in six legal actions involving the Imanuel Foundation, “It goes beyond taxes. They wouldn't let the county inspect their buildings; they shut off a county road, They assure us they're not violent, but on other occasions they've talked about Waco and the Randy Weaver thing.” A standoff may bein the making. The group refuses to leave Vance Madr even though the land was sold at sheriff's Ny: goes beyond taxes. They wouldn't let the county inspect their buildings; they shut off a road.”’ DALE LAMBERT, Salt Lake attorney auction for back taxes and penalties. Ranger Enterprises of North Las Vegas paid Beaver County $15,000 for the 640 acres and title was recorded free and clear last June, making the foundation members trespassers. That title means nothing to thefraternity, “If you attempt to trespass upon the said property, you will make yourself lia ble to be arrested and charged with trespassing,” foundation member Dwight Hughes wrote to the new landowner. He added that trespassers will be dealt with in the foundation's own “ecclesiastical courts of the Fraternity of Preparation. “They think because they claim they are a church, they are sovereign to any authority,” says Salt Lake attorney Winn Bartholomew, who represents Ranger Enterprises in a suit to oust foundation members. “It's vexing. They say they an- swer only to God, and they pick and choose what laws apply to them.” Beaver County Sheriff's Deputy Raymond Goodwin makes regular visits to the compound, sometimes with federal ents While the situation is coming to a head “we don't anticipate any problem,” says Goodwin. Lambert worries about the inevitable confrontation, On the other hand, he adds, “If they're successful in staying, that will attract other croup to declare themselves a religion and declare they are tax-immune. That's the frustration.’ |
