Montana White Supremacist Threatens Human Rights Organization
A former “staff leader” of the neo-Nazi Aryan Nations is threatening to indict members of the Montana Human Rights Network by convening a “citizen grand jury.”
The e-mail threat came from Karl Gharst, a white supremacist who was convicted and sent to prison in 2004 for threatening to kill a child protective services worker in Montana. The new threat was disclosed Thursday by Travis McAdam, director of the Montana human rights organization, who said the matter had been reported to law enforcement.
The threat of “convening so-called citizen grand juries is a tactic that radical-right extremists love to employ,” McAdams said. “They think it makes their lies, threats, and intimidation more valid if they throw in some fake legalese.”
In the Sept. 17 E-mail, Gharst said the Montana Human Rights Network is a “Jewish criminal organization working with other Jewish organized crime networks,” including the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League.
Gharst accused the Montana human rights organization of “entrapping lawful citizens into crimes engineered by the above-mentioned criminal organizations.”
“These organizations are well known to commit crimes against lawful citizens through intimidation, destruction of property, violence and assassination,” Gharst wrote. “These people calling themselves ‘Jews’ are not citizens of the State of Montana in accordance to the Constitution of the State of Montana.
“As a lawful citizen I am giving you proper notice that I am now exercising my duty that I will do all in my power and the power of the State of Montana to see that all MHRN members will stand trial by the lawful citizens of the State of Montana for crimes against the State, and justice returned to lawful citizens.”
McAdams said that while Gharst’s allegations are ludicrous, he considers him potentially dangerous.
“He’s spent time in prison for threatening a social worker. Earlier this month, he wrote about always carrying a knife and having a firearm within reach. He’s shown he’s willing to cross the line, so we’re taking this threat seriously and have reported it to law enforcement.”
It’s not the first time members or former members of the Aryan Nations have sent E-mail threats.