English: 11 days of hell -

(NOTE: The Weavers regarded themselves as white “separatists,” and were not supremacists, and yes, the family had guns, plenty of guns, as they prepared with their children for the apocalypse / the end of the world.)

Expose the ruby ridge siege:

When such stories are heard, it would seem it was one of those tales from the movies, but this is not, it is one of those incidents that came to play on the scenes of history; it’s the Ruby Ridge Incident. Now you might ask yourself, who or what is the Ruby Ridge Incident? Well, Ruby Ridge is a place situated near Naples in Northern Idaho, USA. Nevertheless, that’s not why the place is popular. What made it popular occurred on the property of Weaver. It is the eleven-day standoff incident which occurred between US Marshals Service (USMS), the Hostage Rescue team of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI HRT) and Randy Weaver, his family and a close friend, Kevin Harris. This incident led to the death of a Deputy US Marshal and two of Randy Weaver’s family members.

This all began when Randy Weaver moved alongside his family to Northern Idaho so as to escape the failing state of the world that was already crushing. They acquired 20 acres of land on Ruby Ridge in 1983 and resided on a hillside on Ruby Creek without troubles until a clash came to be between Randy’s neighbors, Terry Kinnison over a $3,000 worth of land.

The clash, which landed in court ruled in favor of Randy and Kinnison was ordered to pay Randy $2,100 for damages. Kinnison, who disagreed with the ruling, wrote a letter to the FBI, Secret Service and the county sheriff, stating a claim that Randy had threatened to kill the Pope, the President and Governor Evans. The FBI and others started an array of investigations trying to connect Randy to this claim. The Secret Service were hinted of Randy’s involvement with the Aryan Nations as well as being in possession of large amounts of weaponry; both allegations Randy flatly denied.

Then on May 6^th, 1985, the Weavers made a legal claim stating that there seemed to be an existing vendetta resulting into an instigation to provoke the FBI into attacking his family. In their claim, they mentioned that a letter had been written to threaten the president and was sent under a forged signature. The FBI stated, that no letter of such intent was said to have been received.

There was one other intricate piece in this case that formed the plot of the story, it was Randy Weaver’s case with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Randy had been on the watch of the ATF after being associated with Frank Kumnick who was a member of the Aryan Nation, a political extremist group. Randy had earlier on being invited to an Aryan meeting by Kumnick in which he was spotted by an ATF informer. The ATF tried to recruit Randy to spy on Kumnick but the whole attempt failed and this led him to be implicated by the ATF concerning an illegal possession and sale of firearm in 1990. With the case at its imminent hearing, Randy was to appear in court but failed to do so, leading him to be filled a bench warrant. Although, it was later discovered that the letter that was issued him contained an incorrect date.

Normally, the judge should have withdrawn the bench warrant but had refused to do so on the basis that he wanted to be sure that Randy would show up in court on the proposed date of the hearing which was on the 20^th of March 1990; a decision the US Marshal Service had also supported. But contrary to the process the US Attorney’s Office set up a grand jury on the 14^th of March, instead of the proposed date, but failed to notify Randy of this hearing. Thus, when Randy failed to appear, the grand jury indicted Randy for failing to show up in court.

Local law enforcement thought it was possible that Randy was a fugitive. He stayed in his home in Ruby Ridge and vowed to stop any attempt to take in using force by any enforcement agency. It seems that Randy didn’t trust that he would be given a fair trial which was perceived from the way he was issued a bench warrant, he was as well informed by his magistrate that losing the case meant forfeiting his land, therefore leaving his family homeless. Thus, he stated that he would not surrender to any attempt by anyone to take him forcefully to court. This prompted the Marshals to start the operation code named “Northern Exposure” on March 27^th 1992.

On April 18, 1992, a fly-over helicopter belonging to Geraldo Rivera filed a report that shots were fired at it by the Weaver’s family. But contrary to this claim by the Rivera helicopter, the US Marshals installing surveillance cameras on that day claimed to have seen the helicopter but didn’t record any fired shots, which in away, contended the authenticity of the claim. This claim by the helicopter was later received as false as the pilot, Richard Weiss in the long run submitted that the weaver never fired at his helicopter.

- Subsequently the operation “Northern Exposure” was suspended for three months. On August 21^st 1992, there was a scouting at the Weaver’s surroundings to determine ambush points to the cabin. During the scout, Roderick, the Deputy US Marshals, threw stones that caused the dogs to bark out leading Sammy who is Randy’s 14 year old son and Kevin Harris, Randy’s friend to check out what had gone wrong. This led to an encounter between Sammy, Kevin Harris and the Marshals and out this was born a shootout that led to the death of Sammy, the dog and Weaver’s dog. However, shortly after the shootout, Vicki, Randy’s wife was shot and killed by a sniper who had earlier fired at Randy. The bullet had passed through Randy’s body, escaping through his armpit. Randy was alive, but not his wife. The shooting at the Ruby Ridge steered into a court case where Randy and his friend Kevin Harris were charged with different offences and were jailed until their trial came to date. Both were discharged and acquainted.

The Weaver, in a bid to fight for the life they lost in the shootout, later filed a suit against the government, a case which was won and led to them being awarded a total sum of $3.1 million. Kevin Harris also filed for damages and he as well won, thereby awarding him a $380,000 government settlement.

The aftermath: the siege brought out a lot of angry skinheads and neighbors, as well as protests from people all over the world.

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(History teaches us a lot of knowledge, however how this knowledge is used (or not used) is the folly of man –Thomas R. McKee - My personal quote)

As always, stay safe!

- bird

*** Come again soon ***