The right kind of extremists

Here are some stories you may have missed recently:

Michigan militiaman kills cop, eludes police after fiery standoff

DAYTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Fire burned the rural home of a man who barricaded himself inside during a deadly police standoff, but authorities were unable to find him when they searched the rubble, Michigan State Police said.


Two hours after the Tuesday afternoon fire, officials found a backpack filled with food and ammunition about three-quarters of a mile away, said Tracy Pardo, a state police communications officer.

The wife of the barricaded man, Scott Allen Woodring, 40, identified the backpack as her husband's, Pardo told the Detroit Free Press for a Wednesday story.

Turns out he indeed escaped and is on the lam:

Fugitive, way he escaped eludes police

"We have no idea how or when he escaped," said state police Inspector Barry Getzen. Among the theories are that he got away during the chaos immediately following the shooting of the trooper; it's possible he was dressed in camouflage and "mingled" with police also dressed in military-style fatigues before his escape.

The one-time militia member was the subject of a multistate manhunt today. Woodring was charged with open murder and the use of a firearm during a felony in the death of state police Trooper Kevin Marshall.

He's likely to remain at large for awhile, since he will have plenty of underground help from his like-minded Christian Identity cohorts:

Radical sympathizers could help fugitive gunman make getaway

Walsh also thinks it's possible Woodring is receiving support in his flight from the law.

"I'm convinced that there's a sophisticated network of like-minded individuals, and it would not surprise me at all if he had some kind of help, requested through shortwave transmission, cell-phone call or the Internet during the crisis," Walsh said. "These people are very sophisticated in terms of survival skills and in terms of weapons use.

"I would consider him to be very dangerous and would urge anyone who comes across him to call 911," Walsh said.

In other words, there is now another cop-killing, radical religious terrorist on the loose. Not that very many of you have heard about it.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, two more stories that managed to fly under the radar:

100 bombs found at N.J. home

BRIDGEWATER TWP. -- A Somerset County man charged with using explosives to commit bias-related crimes is also suspected of blowing up mailboxes in Warren and Hunterdon counties, authorities said Wednesday.

Robert J. Kubish, 48, of Bridgewater Township, was arrested Monday night after investigators found more than 100 homemade bombs at the home he shared with his parents, authorities in Somerset County said.

... The search at his home also turned up chemicals used to manufacture explosive devices, paraphernalia expressing anti-Semitic views, and newspaper articles describing mailbox explosions and anti-Semitic graffiti in the Bridgewater Township area.

And just a little down the turnpike:

White supremacist advocate gets post

HOPEWELL BOROUGH -- The borough has filled an unexpired seat on its council with Marc Moran, a 43-year-old engineer who proudly admits he's a member of a national white supremacist group and has published essays denouncing cultural diversity, mixed-race couples, homosexuals, Jews and feminists.

Moran, appointed Monday night, is a member of the National Alliance, a West Virginia-based organization that advocates having a place to live without nonwhites, an Aryan society and a government that serves the white race and is free from non-Aryan influence.

He said his association with the group will not affect his job as a borough councilman.

"Councilmen make decisions on shade tree placements and whether we have a fireworks display," Moran said.

"In a way, I'm surprised anybody asked me about my larger views on national politics or social issues. I don't see how it has any impact whatsoever on representing the people of Hopewell."

You may have missed these stories because for some reason, the editors and producers who make up our daily news budgets don't think these are important stories.

One could imagine, however, how they would react if:

-- An Al Qaeda member had slain a state trooper, engaged police in an armed standoff, and had managed to escape capture and was at large in the countryside.

-- An Al Qaeda sympathizer was arrested for blowing up the mailboxes of Jews who lived in his vicinity and was found with a large arsenal of bombs in his home.

-- A member of Al Qaeda was appointed to the town council of an American city.