TerrorismMore arrested on terrorism charges in Chicago
The number of anti-NATO protesters arrested on terrorism-related charges has risen to five; three were arrested last Wednesday, and the police found Molotov cocktails and other weapons in the apartment of one of them; the other two were arrested for making terrorist threats; lawyers for those arrested charge that law-enforcement engaged in entrapment
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office said two more anti-NATO protesters were arrested on terrorism-related charges. Sebastian Senakiewicz, 24, a native of Poland who lives in Chicago, is charged with falsely making a terrorist threat. Mark Neiweem, 28, who authorities believe to be from Chicago, is charged with attempted possession of explosives or incendiary devices.
These two arrests come in the wake of three arrests on Wednesday: Brian Church, 20, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Jared Chase, 24, of Keene, New Hampshire; and, Brent Vincent Betterly, 24, of Oakland Park, Florida. Msnbc reports that they were arrested on Wednesday and face felony charges of conspiracy to commit terrorism, material support for terrorism, and possession of explosives.
Senakiewicz was arrested on Thursday and there was no immediate indication that he had links to Church, Chase, or Betterly. It also was not clear when Neiweem was arrested and whether he had any links to the other charged activists.
Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy on Saturday dismissed the idea the arrests of the initial three suspects was a result of an entrapment by law-enforcement, and insisted that they were nothing more than an effort to stop “an imminent threat.” “This plot does not represent protest behavior, this is criminal behavior,” said Mccarthy.
Prosecutors said Church, Chase, and Betterly used fuel purchased from a Chicago gas station for makeshift bombs, pouring it into beer bottles and cutting up bandanas to serve as fuses. If convicted on all counts, they could get up to eighty-five years in prison.
ABC News reports that in addition to materials to make molotov cocktails, the defendants had various weapons, including a mortar gun, swords, a hunting bow, throwing stars, knives, and brass knucles.
“This plot does not represent protest behavior, this is criminal behavior,” said Chicago Police Superintendent Garry Mccarthy.
They are each being held on $1.5 million bond.
Church, Chase, and Betterly are associated with the Occupied movement. Lawyers representing the three men say that that three were pulled over by police last week while riding in a car, but that there were let go after questioning. One of the three men captured that incident on his smartphone and posted it to YouTube.
