Tennessee Man Federally Indicted for Politically Motivated Arson Under Joint Task Force Vanguard

Tallahassee, Florida – Ian Nathaniel Grice, 28, of Dixon, Tennessee, has been indicted in federal court for arson and interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.

Grice appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for September 21, 2026, at 8:30 am before United States District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.

If convicted, Grice faces 5 years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the arson count. He faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise count.

The case is being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Investigative and Forensic Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch. 

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

This case is part of the nationwide National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative, which is a White House-directed, interagency effort to integrate federal, state, and local partners in protecting First Amendment rights while targeting individuals and organizations engaged in political violence and is led by the investigative and prosecutorial Joint Task Force Vanguard.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Contact

United States Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Florida
USAFLN.Press.Office@usdoj.gov 

Shootings in Tennessee Leave Four Marines Dead

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2015 – Four Marines were killed and another service member was wounded in two separate shootings in Chattanooga, Tennessee, today, military officials confirmed.

The shootings took place at the Navy Operational Support Support Center, operated by the Navy, and at an armed forces recruiting center, officials said.

Names of the deceased will be released after their families are notified, officials said, adding that the Defense Department is working with local and federal authorities.

The Navy Operational Support Center is used by Navy and Marine Corps personnel, and is often referred to as a "reserve center," Navy officials said. It provides training and readiness support for reserve-component personnel to enable them to support the needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.

‘Devastating and Senseless’

“The tragedy in Chattanooga is both devastating and senseless,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire Department of the Navy family, I offer my deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wounded in service to our nation during this incident.”

As the investigation unfolds, he added, the priority will be to take care of the families of those affected.

“I'd like to express my gratitude to the first responders on the scene whose prompt reaction was critical to stopping this individual from inflicting further violence,” Mabus said. “Though we can never fully prevent attacks like this, we will continue to investigate, review and guard against future vulnerabilities and do everything in our power to safeguard the security of our service members and their families."

Texas Man Indicted for Threatening to Bomb Islamic Center in Murfreesboro

WASHINGTON—Javier Alan Correa, 24, of Corpus Christi, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Nashville, Tennesee, today and charged with violating the civil rights of members of a Murfreesboro, Tennessee mosque. Correa is charged in the Middle District of Tennessee with one count of intentionally obstructing by threat of force the free exercise of religious beliefs and one count of using an instrument of interstate commerce to communicate a threat to destroy a building by means of an explosive device. The indictment was announced today by Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez for the Civil Rights Division; Jerry E. Martin, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee; and Aaron T. Ford, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the FBI.

According to the indictment, on September 5, 2011, Correa called on a cell phone from Corpus Christi to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro and left a threatening, explicative-ridden voice message saying, amongst other things, “On September 11, 2011, there’s going to be a bomb in the building.“

“The Department of Justice, the FBI, and our law enforcement partners intend to protect the rights afforded under the Constitution to all individuals, including the most basic right to exercise freedom of religious beliefs,” said Jerry E. Martin, U.S. Attorney of the Middle District of Tennessee. “The controversy and criminal activity surrounding the construction of this particular place of worship has impeded the ability of people to exercise that most basic right. We will continue to monitor the progress of construction and legal proceedings at the local level to insure these citizens are able to enjoy all basic liberties guaranteed under the Constitution.”

“The FBI is tasked with defending civil rights in the United States and takes very seriously its responsibilities to protect people of all religions from intimidation and violence,” said Aaron T. Ford, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the FBI. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners pursued this investigation with great tenacity and will always strive to ensure those who attempt to take religious freedoms from others are brought to face justice.”

Correa faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for the count one and 10 years for count two of the indictment, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 for each offense.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Deneke and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Adriana Vieco.

An indictment is merely an accusation. All persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty and have the right to a trial, at which, the government must bear the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Militia Extremist Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Take Over Plot

KNOXVILLE—On Tuesday, May 15, 2012, former militia member Darren Wesley Huff, 42, of Dallas, Georgia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to serve four years in prison for his conviction of transporting firearms across state lines with the intent to cause a civil disorder.

Huff intended to arrest public officials pursuant to “citizens arrest warrants,” which were directed at numerous local, state, and federal public officials, including sheriffs, police chiefs, and President Obama. The citizens arrest warrants Huff attempted to execute listed the public officials as “Declared Domestic Enemies” and cited them for treason. On April 20, 2010, Huff traveled from his residence in Dallas, Georgia to Madisonville, Tennessee with the stated intent of “taking over” the courthouse in Monroe County and arresting the public officials for treason. The treasonous acts Huff alleged stemmed primarily from the refusal of the Monroe County grand jury to indict President Obama, who Huff claimed was not the legitimate president of the United States. On the day of the offense, Huff carried in his vehicle a .45 caliber handgun and an AK-47 with ammunition. He told people that day that he had 300-400 rounds of ammunition with the AK-47. During a traffic stop by a Tennessee state trooper on his way to Madisonville, Huff stated, “I’ve got my .45 because ain’t no government official gonna go peacefully.”

“This sentence will send a strong message to those who attempt to take the law into their own hands. Under our federal Constitution and statutes, Mr. Huff and others like him can talk or write about their anti-government views. They cannot arm themselves and make threats to arrest public officials and take over government buildings. The core of our democratic system is to allow peaceful protestbut prohibit armed threats to those who serve our government. His conviction is a great achievement by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Theodore and William Mackie. Their cooperative efforts resulted in this conviction and sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Killian.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was the lead investigative agency on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Theodore and William Mackie represented the United States.

'Guard Farmers' Join Counterinsurgency Fight in Afghanistan

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Nov. 21, 2008 - The National Guard is taking a biblical verse to heart: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks." Commanders in Afghanistan are looking forward to the deployment of two agri-business development teams next year. The teams – one from Indiana and one from Tennessee – are made up of National Guardsmen with farming backgrounds. They will serve a year in Afghanistan advising local governments and people on agricultural practices.

An agri-business development team from Texas already is working in Afghanistan's Ghazni province.

"The focus of all we do is the Afghan people, and our intent in everything we do is to separate the people physically and psychologically from the enemy," said Army Col. John P. Johnson, commander of Combined Task Force Currahee. The unit is built around the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Ky.

The task force has responsibility for 2.3 million people in Wardak, Logar, Paktia, Khowst and Paktika provinces in Regional Command East. The vast majority of the people in the region are farmers or herders, and agricultural expertise will help them improve their quality of life.

"We try to connect with the legitimate government and the Afghan security forces with the people," Johnson said.

About 80 Guard members make up each team. The military has no occupational specialty for farmers, so the members can be any specialty or branch. They are included in the unit solely for their civilian expertise, National Guard Bureau officials said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has some specialists in provincial reconstruction teams, but not many at other levels of command. The "soft power" these teams represent can help Afghanistan for the long run, Johnson said.

"We cannot succeed here with military power alone," he said.

It is critical to follow military power with rebuilding and construction funds, Johnson said. "We're really excited about getting these two agri-business development teams in our area of operations," he said.

The teams bring expertise in hydrology, dairy farming, chicken farming, soil conservation, pest management and agricultural business practices. The people in the provinces are subsistence farmers, but there is potential to build the agricultural capacity, Johnson said.

The teams will have support from agricultural universities in the United States. The Indiana team is undergoing refresher training at Purdue University.

"They will have an entire system that allows them to increase production and take advantage of all the potential that is here," the colonel said.

For example, wheat that farmers grow in Khowst is delivered to Pakistan for milling. The Pakistanis ship it back to Afghanistan for sale. With help from the teams, Afghans may be able to start their own milling plants.

"Teams will assist the farmers to build entire agricultural systems and allow them to take full advantage of all the agricultural potential resident here," Johnson said.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 15, 2008

Cost of planned biolab increases $200 million
“The projected cost of a bioterrorism laboratory for animal diseases sought by Georgia and five other states has shot up at least $200 million, according to new estimates by the Department of Homeland Security. The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility received congressional authorization for $451 million just two years ago, but DHS now says the facility will cost at least $648 million and as much as $939 million, depending on where it is located.” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; 15Aug08; Ken Foskett) http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2008/08/15/biolab.html

Nashville [Tennessee]: High risk, less funds?
“Because of the infrastructure, critical financial and transportation hubs and population the region has been designated a high priority and potential target by the Department of Homeland Security. But the high-risk label might actually mean Nashville gets less money to prepare responses for terrorist attacks and natural disasters. The $1.8 million grant the city and surrounding counties will get this year from the federal Homeland Security agency is a substantial cut from the $2.2 million the area drew from the state's pot of Homeland Security money last year, when it didn't get it's own dedicated funding. Tennessee, as a whole, is expected to get $20.8 million from the federal government.” (Tennessean; 15Aug08; Kate Howard)
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080815/NEWS01/808150419/1006

Anthrax scientist Bruce Ivins slipped under the radar because of FBI obsession
“Law enforcement documents unsealed by a federal judge last week, along with other materials reviewed by The Times, show that within a few months of the mailings, FBI leaders were positioned to know important details spotlighting Ivins […] Security records […] revealing that Ivins […] had spent hours in a fortified ‘hot suite’ during late nights and weekends leading up to and surrounding the mailings. […] analysis by outside scientists […] reporting that anthrax powder recovered from the mailings most likely came from Ft. Detrick […] Ivins, recruited to assist the FBI, had failed in February 2002 to provide an anthrax sample […] requested by a bureau agent.[…] As for Hatfill, the former Ft. Detrick researcher with no record of access at any time to anthrax, FBI and Justice Department officials have declined to say why the investigation stayed focused on him for so long.” (LA Times; 15Aug08; David Willman)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-anthrax15-2008aug15,0,6139854.story?page=1

Plum Island [Massachusetts] may not get nod [for biolab]
“The federal government’s environmental assessment of whether or not Plum Island Animal Disease Center is a suitable site for a planned new facility devoted to the study of biological terrorism — specifically, diseases communicable to both animals and humans — was vetted on Tuesday night in Greenport. However, Department of Homeland Security representatives said in interviews that while the island is a candidate, it is not likely to be chosen. Elected officials have requested that Plum Island be allowed to continue its current research after the new biological terrorism facility is built, but it does not appear that Homeland Security will take those requests seriously.” (The East Hampton Star; 14Aug08; Jennifer Landes) http://www.easthamptonstar.com/dnn/Home/News/PlumIsland/tabid/6315/Default.aspx

Sandia researcher develops inference technique that estimates how many people will fall sick in an epidemic
“Sandia National Laboratories/California researcher Jaideep Ray […] figured out a way to determine the number of people likely to be infected and die from noncommunicable illnesses like anthrax — ailments that could be caused by a potential bioterrorist attack — as well as communicable diseases like smallpox. […] in the middle of 2007 successfully developed a model that could infer the characteristics of a bioterrorism-related epidemic of a noncommunicable disease like anthrax. These inferences were drawn from observations of people with symptoms of anthrax exposure collected over the first three to five days of an epidemic. He is within a few months of refining a computer model that would do the same for communicable diseases.” (All American Patriots; 14Aug08) http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/science/48749327-sandia-researcher-develops-inference-technique-estimates-how-many-people-will-fa

Nano vaccine for hepatitis B produces strong
“Sciences at the University of Michigan report that a novel, needle-less method for getting an immunity-stimulating agent into the body has proved non-toxic and able to produce strong, sustained immune responses in animal studies. The vaccine is based on a super-fine emulsion of oil, water and surfactants placed in the nose. […] Baker’s team has published earlier studies affirming the promise of nasal nanoemulsions as a strategy for smallpox, influenza, anthrax and HIV vaccines. The nanoemulsion technology is patented by U-M and licensed to Ann Arbor-based NanoBio Corporation.
Baker is a founder and equity holder of NanoBio.” (Media Newswire; 15Aug08) http://media-newswire.com/release_1070955.html

KU Med [Kansas University Medical Center] researchers share anthrax discovery
“Kansas University Medical Center researchers, along with researchers from Harvard Medical School, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and William Jewell College, have made a discovery that could be used to eventually prevent anthrax infections from harming humans. Although it is known that anthrax is comprised of three proteins, the discovery specifically looks at the structure of the protective antigen pore protein, which is responsible for the delivery of toxins in human cells, according to a press release. […] This discovery could eventually lead to prevent anthrax infections from even taking place, rather than requiring a vaccine.” (Lawrence Journal-World; 15Aug08)
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/aug/15/ku_med_researchers_share_anthrax_discovery/?city_local

FBI serves warrant after Frederick County PL [Public Library] surrenders PCs in anthrax case
“Though the director of the Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL), MD, last week acceded to the request by the FBI for two library computers without requesting a warrant, the FBI yesterday requested and got a search warrant to search those computers, which it alleged were used by Bruce Ivins, the anthrax scientist and suspect who committed suicide last week. […] While using the computers, Ivins was seen to examine e-mail accounts and look at a web site ‘dedicated to the Anthrax Investigation.’” (Library Journal; 14Aug08; Elizabeth Ferrari)
http://www.libraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=talkbackCommentsFull&talk_back_header_id=6548278&articleid=CA6585613

Hair doesn't match anthrax suspect, fuels speculation
“A hair sample taken from a Princeton, N.J., mailbox linked to the 2001 anthrax attacks does not match that of Army scientist Bruce E. Ivins, leading to speculation about whether the federal government identified the right suspect. […] ‘I think it's going to be one of the great conspiracy theories, like whether we landed on the moon or whether Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone’ in assassinating President Kennedy, said Edward Lake, a retired Wisconsin computer specialist whose Web site has for years been one of the most comprehensive repositories for analysis on the anthrax case.” (Washington Post; 14Aug08; Derek Kravitz) http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2008/08/hair_doesnt_match_anthrax_susp.html

Nasal drug boosts Hep[atitis] B immunity
“Scientists at the University of Michigan and NanoBio Corp, found that a single dose of the nasal vaccine triggered a protective response in animals roughly 450 times greater than that achieved by currently approved human vaccines. The study, reported in the journal PLoS One, has critical implications for developing countries where hepatitis B presents a serious health threat, said lead author Dr James Baker Jr. [who said] ‘The same vaccine platform has also been shown to elicit significant immune responses in animal studies with influenza, anthrax, smallpox, RSV and HIV.’” (Pharmacy Europe; 15Aug08; NanoBioCorp)
http://www.pharmacyeurope.net/default.asp?title=NasaldrugboostsHepBimmunity&page=article.display&article.id=12964

Chemical scare in New Zealand PM's office
“Staff from New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark's office had to be evacuated after an envelope containing white powder was opened yesterday. […] Ambulances and fire engines were called and three office staff and a security officer were examined after the incident but none appeared to be suffering any ill effects. The powder has still not been identified.” (Radio Australia; 14Aug08)
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200808/s2334807.htm?tab=pacific

The assassination of General Mohammed Suleiman
“On August 1, 2008, Syrian general Mohammed Suleiman was gunned down on the beach near the Syrian city of Tartous. Only after five days […] Syrian officials […] reported that the general had indeed been assassinated and that an investigation was underway […] Meantime, journalists and commentators have proposed different theories regarding the identity of the assassin and the reasons for the attack. […] The various sources […] have differing agendas and therefore perforce have offered varying accounts. Western intelligence sources have posited that he was involved in the Syrian nuclear project; American intelligence sources have tied Suleiman to transfers of chemical weapons from Iraq to Syria in 2003 on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq […]” (Canadian Free Press; 15Aug08; Amir Kulick)
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/4481

US Navy charges Iraq camp guards with abuse
“Six sailors working as prison camp guards in Iraq face courts martial for abusing detainees, some of whom were sealed in a cell with pepper spray, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday. […] ‘Two detainees suffered minor abrasions as a result of the alleged assaults, eight others were confined overnight in a detainee housing unit which was sprayed with riot control agent and then the ventilation secured,’ the Navy said in a statement. […] Use of pepper spray in warfare is banned by international treaties on chemical weapons, but many governments say members of their armed forces are permitted to use it in war zones for law enforcement duties.”
(Reuters; 14Aug08; Peter Graff)
http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSLE258216

Sister: Man found dead at Denver hotel 'not a terrorist'
“The Canadian man found dead next to a jar of cyanide in a Denver hotel room had schizophrenia, his family says, lending credence to the theory that he may have died of suicide. The FBI and haz-mat teams got involved in the incident because cyanide can be used to make chemical weapons, and the foreign national had arrived in Denver shortly before the start of the Democratic National Convention. […] Sodium chloride is an ideal ingredient for making a chemical weapon but also is found in rat poison and such things as gold-plated watches. The tell-tale odor of almonds indicated to investigators that Dirie may have died from exposure to cyanide. Investigators still want to know why so much of it — about a pound in crystal form — was found in the room.” (Rocky Mountain News; 14Aug08; Bill Scanlon)
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080814/NEWS/422595806/1062

State won't distribute anti-nerve gas drug with gas mask kits
“Authorities will no longer include an anti-nerve gas drug in safety kits distributed in the event of a nuclear or chemical emergency, the state announced Thursday. The Defense Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command will remove injections of atropine from home safety kits that will be distributed to the public beginning in early 2009. The move is designed to cut costs of replenishing stockpiles of the kits. […] The defense ministry said that should Israel be threatened with a chemical weapons attack, the drug would be distributed to the general public via health maintenance organizations and at hand-out points throughout the country. ‘Logistically, it would be very easy,’ said a defense official. ‘We could distribute everything within two days and it would prevent the need to trouble the public by dragging it to refresher stations that also cost a lot of money.’” (Haaretz; 14Aug08; Yuval Azoulay) http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1011863.html

Kulongoski says exercise showed Oregon not prepared for terrorism
“If terrorists decided to attack Oregon today, the state wouldn't be adequately prepared. That's what Gov. Ted Kulongoski said came from an exercise called Top Officials or TOPOFF that was carried out last October. The 4th TOPOFF exercise simulated an attack on Portland with a dirty bomb that contained radioactive material. Governor Ted Kulongoski spoke Wednesday at an Anti-terrorism Conference, along with the U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and other federal and state officials. Kulongoski said the state learned a number of things from TOPOFF, perhaps most importantly, that the state's public safety communications systems are dangerously out of date.” (OPB News; 13Aug08; Christina Neuhaus) http://news.opb.org/article/2810-kulongoski-says-exercise-showed-oregon-not-prepared-terrorism/

Amplifying small molecules
“Mirkin and graduate student Hyo Jae Yoon achieved their PCR-inspired small-molecule detection system by using a supramolecular complex that recognizes acetate and catalyzes a reaction that generates more acetate. […] Under basic conditions, acetate displaces the thioethers, opening the complex and forming a cavity capable of catalyzing an acyl transfer reaction between pyridyl carbinol and acetic anhydride. The reaction is coupled to a fluorescent readout with a pH-sensitive dye. The catalyzed reaction generates more acetate, which in turn activates more catalyst in a cascade of reactions. The method's applicability is limited only by ‘the creativity of a chemist trying to design a structure to recognize a molecule of interest,’ Mirkin says. Such molecules of interest could range from chemical weapons and biological toxins to neurotransmitters and small-molecule disease markers.” (Chemical & Engineering News; 14Aug08; Celia Henry Arnaud) http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i33/8633notw4.html

CNS ChemBio-WMD terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.