The twin blasts in Iran's southern province of Kerman have left open wounds of those who were mourning the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian General,&nbsp;one of the most powerful figures in Iran and once only second to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.&nbsp;

The blasts on Wednesday (Jan 3) that killed at least 103 people, which Iranian officials say are caused by "terrorist attacks", hold a major symbolism as they took place on the fateful day when Soleimani was killed four years ago in a US-orchestrated drone strike.

Soleimani shaped the conflicts across the Middle East for years to come, including the rise of the Iran-backed Houthi militia, the militant group which marked Soleimani's death last year by erecting larger-than-life figures of the killed commander.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-another-blast-heard-near-grave-of-general-qasem-soleimani-676221">Iran says 73 killed in twin blasts near late general Qasem Soleimani's grave</a>

Soleimani led the al-Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the same force&nbsp;which was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US.&nbsp;

The mighty Iranian general called the shots and kept the proxy militias across the Middle East at his fingertips, with one journalist suggesting that Soleimani "matters in death as much as in life."&nbsp;

Proxy militia across Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon took command from Soleimani and acted upon it.

United States' targeted drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in January 2020 killed IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/met-office-declares-2023-as-uks-second-warmest-year-on-record-676216">Met office declares 2023 as UK's second warmest year on record</a>

The US government at the time justified the strike suggesting that Soleimani was actively planning imminent attacks on American interests in the Middle East and that the decision was framed as a preemptive defensive measure to protect US personnel.

Then US President Donald Trump, as the Commander-in-Chief, authorised the strike which eliminated Soleimani. Trump had said that the action was taken to 'stop a war'. Iran at the UN&nbsp;likened the move to 'opening a war.'

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-blast-terror-attack-during-ceremony-near-general-soleimanis-grave-676249">Iran blast: Terror attack during ceremony near General Soleimani's grave</a>

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The killing of Qasem Soleimani raised concerns about a potential escalation in tensions between the US and Iran. The cause of the twin blasts is still unclear while Iranian officials say that they were "terrorist attacks".&nbsp;

The airstrike prompted varied international reactions. Some nations expressed concern about the escalation of hostilities. The latest twin attacks come&nbsp;against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war and Iran-funded Houthi militia attacks on Red Sea shipping routes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The death anniversary of the slain general also came at a time when&nbsp;the attacks on US bases in Iraq is becoming rampant, something that the US had accused Soleimani of orchestrating. US Department of Defence accused Soleimani of attack on allied bases in Iraq, including an air strike that resulted in the killing of a US contractor and injured as many as four service members, as per media reports.&nbsp;

<h2>Fight against ISIS</h2>

Soleimani was also known as the "Shadow Commander" and "Dark Knight". He had a particular enmity with Iraq's Saddam Hussein and even as Iran and Iraq were archrivals, Soleimani held a significant clout in Baghdad.

He also lent his support to Lebanon's Hezbollah as well as backed Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Soleimani rose through the ranks in the Iranian military and even as US and Iran did not align, the countries did fight together against ISIS.

With this, Soleimani had his share of credit in the fight against the ISIS terror network. Reports quoting experts said that Soleimani's killing thwarted these efforts to root out ISIS from the region and US move to kill the Iranian general was a win for ISIS.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The twin blasts in Iran's southern province of Kerman have left open wounds of those who were mourning the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian General, one of the most powerful figures in Iran and once only second to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The twin blasts in Iran's southern province of Kerman have left open wounds of those who were mourning the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian General, one of the most powerful figures in Iran and once only second to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The blasts on Wednesday (Jan 3) that killed at least 103 people, which Iranian officials say are caused by "terrorist attacks", hold a major symbolism as they took place on the fateful day when Soleimani was killed four years ago in a US-orchestrated drone strike. Soleimani shaped the conflicts across the Middle East for years to come, including the rise of the Iran-backed Houthi militia, the militant group which marked Soleimani's death last year by erecting larger-than-life figures of the killed commander. Also Read | Iran says 73 killed in twin blasts near late general Qasem Soleimani's grave Soleimani led the al-Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the same force which was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US. The mighty Iranian general called the shots and kept the proxy militias across the Middle East at his fingertips, with one journalist suggesting that Soleimani "matters in death as much as in life." Proxy militia across Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon took command from Soleimani and acted upon it. United States' targeted drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in January 2020 killed IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani. Also Read | Met office declares 2023 as UK's second warmest year on record The US government at the time justified the strike suggesting that Soleimani was actively planning imminent attacks on American interests in the Middle East and that the decision was framed as a preemptive defensive measure to protect US personnel. Then US President Donald Trump, as the Commander-in-Chief, authorised the strike which eliminated Soleimani. Trump had said that the action was taken to 'stop a war'. Iran at the UN likened the move to 'opening a war.' Watch | Iran blast: Terror attack during ceremony near General Soleimani's grave × The killing of Qasem Soleimani raised concerns about a potential escalation in tensions between the US and Iran. The cause of the twin blasts is still unclear while Iranian officials say that they were "terrorist attacks". The airstrike prompted varied international reactions. Some nations expressed concern about the escalation of hostilities. The latest twin attacks come against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war and Iran-funded Houthi militia attacks on Red Sea shipping routes. The death anniversary of the slain general also came at a time when the attacks on US bases in Iraq is becoming rampant, something that the US had accused Soleimani of orchestrating. US Department of Defence accused Soleimani of attack on allied bases in Iraq, including an air strike that resulted in the killing of a US contractor and injured as many as four service members, as per media reports. Fight against ISIS Soleimani was also known as the "Shadow Commander" and "Dark Knight". He had a particular enmity with Iraq's Saddam Hussein and even as Iran and Iraq were archrivals, Soleimani held a significant clout in Baghdad. He also lent his support to Lebanon's Hezbollah as well as backed Syrian President Bashar Assad. Soleimani rose through the ranks in the Iranian military and even as US and Iran did not align, the countries did fight together against ISIS. With this, Soleimani had his share of credit in the fight against the ISIS terror network. Reports quoting experts said that Soleimani's killing thwarted these efforts to root out ISIS from the region and US move to kill the Iranian general was a win for ISIS. (With inputs from agencies)

Who was Qasem Soleimani? The mighty Iranian general who controlled proxy militias across Middle East

The former leader of a pro-government militia and seven other people were killed in a bomb blast in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday (Sept. 14), according to authorities. The local Taliban claimed responsibility for the incident.&nbsp;

The Kabal town in the Swat valley, which was largely governed by the Pakistan Taliban during insurgency from 2007 to 2009, was the scene of the blast on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

Former peace committee leader Idrees Khan was killed after his pick-up truck was struck by a roadside bomb, according to Swat district police officer Zahid Nawaz Marwat, who spoke to AFP.&nbsp;

Two local police officers, two private guards, and three labourers were among the fatalities, according to a second local police official.&nbsp;

Islamabad supported peace committees, or tribal vigilante groups, were set up to protect their areas from extremists, but majority of them had&nbsp;been abolished when the security situation had improved.

The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claimed responsibility for the incident, claimed Khan was engaged in the murder of TTP members.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/juxtapose-dramatic-expansion-of-bahrain-by-building-land-on-sea-1987-vs-2022-515720">Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022</a>

The group also claimed responsibility for a skirmish with Pakistani security forces that left three troops dead on Tuesday in the Afghan border province of Kurram.

The TTP declared an extended ceasefire in June to aid in peace negotiations being mediated by Afghanistan, but despite both parties claiming the ceasefire was still in effect, there have been frequent confrontations.&nbsp;

Islamabad has routinely complained about TTP attacks since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan last year, particularly along their porous border.&nbsp;

Though they are independent organisations, the Taliban from Pakistan and Afghanistan have a similar ideology.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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The former leader of a pro-government militia and seven other people were killed in a bomb blast in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday (Sept. 14), according to authorities.

The former leader of a pro-government militia and seven other people were killed in a bomb blast in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday (Sept. 14), according to authorities. The local Taliban claimed responsibility for the incident. The Kabal town in the Swat valley, which was largely governed by the Pakistan Taliban during insurgency from 2007 to 2009, was the scene of the blast on Tuesday night. Former peace committee leader Idrees Khan was killed after his pick-up truck was struck by a roadside bomb, according to Swat district police officer Zahid Nawaz Marwat, who spoke to AFP. Two local police officers, two private guards, and three labourers were among the fatalities, according to a second local police official. Islamabad supported peace committees, or tribal vigilante groups, were set up to protect their areas from extremists, but majority of them had been abolished when the security situation had improved. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claimed responsibility for the incident, claimed Khan was engaged in the murder of TTP members. Also Read: Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022 The group also claimed responsibility for a skirmish with Pakistani security forces that left three troops dead on Tuesday in the Afghan border province of Kurram. The TTP declared an extended ceasefire in June to aid in peace negotiations being mediated by Afghanistan, but despite both parties claiming the ceasefire was still in effect, there have been frequent confrontations. Islamabad has routinely complained about TTP attacks since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan last year, particularly along their porous border. Though they are independent organisations, the Taliban from Pakistan and Afghanistan have a similar ideology. (with inputs from agencies)

Former head of militia and 7 others killed in bomb planted by Pakistan Taliban in Swat

Fighters killed at least 10 civilians in two overnight attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The fighters are said to be belonging to the notorious Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia.

These ADF fighters decapitated eight villagers in the village of Boyo, in the northeast Ituri province, and shot dead two civilians in Kainama, army spokesman Lieutenant Jules Ngongo said.

Soldiers were in pursuit of the attackers.

Local officials confirmed the two attacks, adding that houses were also burned in the violence.

Kainama lies at the extreme north of North Kivu province, where it borders with Ituri. It is just five kilometres (three miles) from Boyo. Both provinces sit on DR Congo's eastern border with Uganda.

The ADF militia are Ugandan Islamic fighters who have made their base in eastern DR Congo since 1995.

While they have not launched raids into Uganda for several years, the militia has been blamed for the killings of more than 800 civilians over the past year in both North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

While the army has conducted operations against them in the region since October 2019, they have not been able to put a stop to the massacres of civilians.

(with inputs from AFP)

Fighters killed at least 10 civilians in two overnight attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The fighters are said to be belonging to the notorious Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia.

Fighters killed at least 10 civilians in two overnight attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The fighters are said to be belonging to the notorious Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia. These ADF fighters decapitated eight villagers in the village of Boyo, in the northeast Ituri province, and shot dead two civilians in Kainama, army spokesman Lieutenant Jules Ngongo said. Soldiers were in pursuit of the attackers. Local officials confirmed the two attacks, adding that houses were also burned in the violence. Kainama lies at the extreme north of North Kivu province, where it borders with Ituri. It is just five kilometres (three miles) from Boyo. Both provinces sit on DR Congo's eastern border with Uganda. The ADF militia are Ugandan Islamic fighters who have made their base in eastern DR Congo since 1995. While they have not launched raids into Uganda for several years, the militia has been blamed for the killings of more than 800 civilians over the past year in both North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. While the army has conducted operations against them in the region since October 2019, they have not been able to put a stop to the massacres of civilians. (with inputs from AFP)

Militia raids in eastern DR Congo kill ten civilians

When FBI Special Agent Richard Trask took the witness stand in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, last week to detail a plot to kidnap the governors of Michigan and Virginia, the prosecutor first asked him what the men involved had in common.

They were all from “multiple militias from different states,” replied Trask, who is a domestic terrorism expert for the Detroit field office.

Nils Kessler, the prosecutor, paused on the word “militia,” noting that it meant different things to different people. “These are groups that call themselves militias?” he asked. “But they are not under any government authority or anything like that?”

“That’s correct,” Trask responded.

For decades, federal authorities and academics have described private paramilitary organizations — armed groups who train together on military tactics and techniques — as “militias” or as part of the “militia movement.” But the term has taken on new meaning as makeshift vigilante groups have popped up with increasing frequency in the months leading up to a contentious election.

Once limited to the far-right fringe, the term militia now encompasses a far wider spectrum, representing everything from armed-to-the-teeth neighborhood watch organizations to an all-Black paramilitary group that marches to protest police violence.

The rising visibility of such groups has put a spotlight on the word “militia” itself, with many critics demanding it be replaced. They contend that the term has fundamentally lost its meaning as more groups use it to camouflage threats of violence.

Historically, militias have referred to an auxiliary force raised from the civilian population to bolster the Army. The issue in the United States, experts said, is that private paramilitary groups have long cloaked their activities in the vocabulary of the American Revolution and the Constitution, creating an aura of legality that does not exist.

“The use of the word militia anytime you are talking about anything other than a state militia like the National Guard, it is just wrong,” said Mary McCord, a former Justice Department official now running an institute that specializes in constitutional law at Georgetown University Law Center. “Using that term without putting ‘unlawful’ in front of it suggests that there is some legitimacy or even constitutional authority for their existence, which there isn’t.”

One such group in Michigan, called the Wolverine Watchmen, was at the center of the suspected plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and commit other planned violence. Federal and state authorities announced the arrest this month of 14 men linked to the group.

That drew even more attention to the term, escalating demands to label such groups “terrorists.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote on Twitter, “Genuine question for the media/law enforcement: why are you calling these armed neo-Nazi groups breaking the law ‘militias’ instead of ‘gangs’ or ‘domestic terrorist groups?’”

Last spring, various anti-government groups condemned the coronavirus lockdown measures as a form of “tyranny” and organized some of the first protests against them. More groups turned out in force during demonstrations against police brutality. Scuffles between protesters and members of armed groups have led to deaths in Kenosha, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; and Denver.

There are currently about 181 active anti-government paramilitary groups in the United States, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks them. Some claim thousands of members, but more often their numbers are far smaller, experts said.

American schoolchildren are often taught that Revolutionary War militiamen were heroes. “Patriots formed militia groups to defend the colonies against the British,” reads a brief passage in a fifth grade textbook used in Hillsboro, Oregon, “Some militiamen called themselves minutemen because they could be ready at a moment’s notice.”

In addition, the Second Amendment says, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Many groups cite that language to justify their use of the term. But experts note that “well-regulated,” implies state control and not freelance efforts by all comers.

The name “militia” suggests the idea of citizen soldiers and patriotism, plus it lends such groups “the color of the law,” said Mark Pitcavage, a senior research fellow with the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism.

Underneath that veneer lies a fundamental contradiction, experts noted, with members of the current movement advocating an armed resistance against the very state that the original militias were formed to protect.

It is difficult to pinpoint which group first resurrected the name “militia.” Some historians consider the Ku Klux Klan a militia, and over the past century various militant groups drew on the Revolution for their names.

In the 1970s, far-right activists, alarmed by civil rights legislation as well as new environmental laws, pushed to reassert local control. The Posse Comitatus movement, rooted in white Christian fundamentalism, developed the concept of citizen posses.

Its manual stated that any official who disobeyed the Constitution should “be removed by the Posse to a populated intersection of the streets in the township and at high noon be hung there by the neck, the body remaining until sundown as an example to those who would subvert the law,” according to Daniel Levitas, author of “The Terrorist Next Door,” a history of extremist groups.

“Unorganized militia,” a 19th century legal term, was considered obsolete after the Militia Act of 1903, when federal law began incorporating all legal militias into the National Guard, controlled by state governors. Although the wording differs, all 50 states ban private paramilitary groups that further “civil disorder.”

Fast forward to the early 1990s, when the term gained new life after the violent sieges by federal law enforcement agents against the cabin of Randy Weaver in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, and the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, in 1993.

Those on the far-right, already dedicated to the idea of a “leaderless resistance,” concluded that they needed to organize into paramilitary groups to protect themselves from government “tyranny.” Pamphlets appeared with titles like “The Field Manual of the Free Militia” that explained how to establish one.

Using the word “militia” and other historical vocabulary was a deliberate attempt to attract a broader membership by veiling the often racist, anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant and homophobic origins of such groups, experts said.

“Right-wing extremist organizations try to cloak themselves in heroic garb,” said David Neiwert, author of “Alt-America,” who has tracked such groups for decades. “That is the basis of a lot of the appeal; this is your chance to be a hero.”

Paramilitary organizations mushroomed in the 1990s, with some 370 formed by the middle of the decade. Then came the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, sprouting from the same ideology if not directly connected to a militia, that left 168 people dead. Scores of paramilitary organizations collapsed as their appeal dimmed.

But political fights over the Second Amendment kept the movement alive; plus, conspiracy theories about a looming foreign invasion never faded entirely. In recent years, the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 marked the first high-profile appearance of such armed groups at protests.

Experts who continue to use the word “militia” said it helped to define a distinct category among adherents of various fringe ideologies or criminal organizations including white supremacists, prison gangs, the tax protest movement, anti-vaxxers, skinheads, survivalists and others.

“Terrorist” was the most popular substitute that circulated on social media, but the legal definition of terrorism refers to organized attacks meant to intimidate or coerce in an attempt to influence government policy. Many experts consider that too broad. The majority of militia members “will never be involved with a terrorist act,” said Pitcavage.

The term gangs is also considered a poor fit since law enforcement agencies tend to use that to describe violent criminal enterprises. Some experts said they felt like they were under siege by “language police” over a word they have used for decades.

In Michigan, federal authorities said the plotters discussed putting the governor on trial as a “tyrant” before Election Day. The case has become an election issue as President Donald Trump has cast doubts on the plot and continued to vilify Whitmer.

The possibility that armed groups might try to intimidate voters at the polls prompted the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law to publish a legal guide to confront such groups for all 50 states.

“It has all been whitewashed and made safe for broader public consumption by wrapping it in the flag,” said Neiwert. “They call themselves patriots, although you have never met a more seditious bunch.” 
&nbsp;

When FBI Special Agent Richard Trask took the witness stand in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, last week to detail a plot to kidnap the governors of Michigan and Virginia, the prosecutor first asked him what the men involved had in common.

When FBI Special Agent Richard Trask took the witness stand in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, last week to detail a plot to kidnap the governors of Michigan and Virginia, the prosecutor first asked him what the men involved had in common. They were all from “multiple militias from different states,” replied Trask, who is a domestic terrorism expert for the Detroit field office. Nils Kessler, the prosecutor, paused on the word “militia,” noting that it meant different things to different people. “These are groups that call themselves militias?” he asked. “But they are not under any government authority or anything like that?” “That’s correct,” Trask responded. For decades, federal authorities and academics have described private paramilitary organizations — armed groups who train together on military tactics and techniques — as “militias” or as part of the “militia movement.” But the term has taken on new meaning as makeshift vigilante groups have popped up with increasing frequency in the months leading up to a contentious election. Once limited to the far-right fringe, the term militia now encompasses a far wider spectrum, representing everything from armed-to-the-teeth neighborhood watch organizations to an all-Black paramilitary group that marches to protest police violence. The rising visibility of such groups has put a spotlight on the word “militia” itself, with many critics demanding it be replaced. They contend that the term has fundamentally lost its meaning as more groups use it to camouflage threats of violence. Historically, militias have referred to an auxiliary force raised from the civilian population to bolster the Army. The issue in the United States, experts said, is that private paramilitary groups have long cloaked their activities in the vocabulary of the American Revolution and the Constitution, creating an aura of legality that does not exist. “The use of the word militia anytime you are talking about anything other than a state militia like the National Guard, it is just wrong,” said Mary McCord, a former Justice Department official now running an institute that specializes in constitutional law at Georgetown University Law Center. “Using that term without putting ‘unlawful’ in front of it suggests that there is some legitimacy or even constitutional authority for their existence, which there isn’t.” One such group in Michigan, called the Wolverine Watchmen, was at the center of the suspected plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and commit other planned violence. Federal and state authorities announced the arrest this month of 14 men linked to the group. That drew even more attention to the term, escalating demands to label such groups “terrorists.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote on Twitter, “Genuine question for the media/law enforcement: why are you calling these armed neo-Nazi groups breaking the law ‘militias’ instead of ‘gangs’ or ‘domestic terrorist groups?’” Last spring, various anti-government groups condemned the coronavirus lockdown measures as a form of “tyranny” and organized some of the first protests against them. More groups turned out in force during demonstrations against police brutality. Scuffles between protesters and members of armed groups have led to deaths in Kenosha, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; and Denver. There are currently about 181 active anti-government paramilitary groups in the United States, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks them. Some claim thousands of members, but more often their numbers are far smaller, experts said. American schoolchildren are often taught that Revolutionary War militiamen were heroes. “Patriots formed militia groups to defend the colonies against the British,” reads a brief passage in a fifth grade textbook used in Hillsboro, Oregon, “Some militiamen called themselves minutemen because they could be ready at a moment’s notice.” In addition, the Second Amendment says, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Many groups cite that language to justify their use of the term. But experts note that “well-regulated,” implies state control and not freelance efforts by all comers. The name “militia” suggests the idea of citizen soldiers and patriotism, plus it lends such groups “the color of the law,” said Mark Pitcavage, a senior research fellow with the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. Underneath that veneer lies a fundamental contradiction, experts noted, with members of the current movement advocating an armed resistance against the very state that the original militias were formed to protect. It is difficult to pinpoint which group first resurrected the name “militia.” Some historians consider the Ku Klux Klan a militia, and over the past century various militant groups drew on the Revolution for their names. In the 1970s, far-right activists, alarmed by civil rights legislation as well as new environmental laws, pushed to reassert local control. The Posse Comitatus movement, rooted in white Christian fundamentalism, developed the concept of citizen posses. Its manual stated that any official who disobeyed the Constitution should “be removed by the Posse to a populated intersection of the streets in the township and at high noon be hung there by the neck, the body remaining until sundown as an example to those who would subvert the law,” according to Daniel Levitas, author of “The Terrorist Next Door,” a history of extremist groups. “Unorganized militia,” a 19th century legal term, was considered obsolete after the Militia Act of 1903, when federal law began incorporating all legal militias into the National Guard, controlled by state governors. Although the wording differs, all 50 states ban private paramilitary groups that further “civil disorder.” Fast forward to the early 1990s, when the term gained new life after the violent sieges by federal law enforcement agents against the cabin of Randy Weaver in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, and the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, in 1993. Those on the far-right, already dedicated to the idea of a “leaderless resistance,” concluded that they needed to organize into paramilitary groups to protect themselves from government “tyranny.” Pamphlets appeared with titles like “The Field Manual of the Free Militia” that explained how to establish one. Using the word “militia” and other historical vocabulary was a deliberate attempt to attract a broader membership by veiling the often racist, anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant and homophobic origins of such groups, experts said. “Right-wing extremist organizations try to cloak themselves in heroic garb,” said David Neiwert, author of “Alt-America,” who has tracked such groups for decades. “That is the basis of a lot of the appeal; this is your chance to be a hero.” Paramilitary organizations mushroomed in the 1990s, with some 370 formed by the middle of the decade. Then came the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, sprouting from the same ideology if not directly connected to a militia, that left 168 people dead. Scores of paramilitary organizations collapsed as their appeal dimmed. But political fights over the Second Amendment kept the movement alive; plus, conspiracy theories about a looming foreign invasion never faded entirely. In recent years, the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 marked the first high-profile appearance of such armed groups at protests. Experts who continue to use the word “militia” said it helped to define a distinct category among adherents of various fringe ideologies or criminal organizations including white supremacists, prison gangs, the tax protest movement, anti-vaxxers, skinheads, survivalists and others. “Terrorist” was the most popular substitute that circulated on social media, but the legal definition of terrorism refers to organized attacks meant to intimidate or coerce in an attempt to influence government policy. Many experts consider that too broad. The majority of militia members “will never be involved with a terrorist act,” said Pitcavage. The term gangs is also considered a poor fit since law enforcement agencies tend to use that to describe violent criminal enterprises. Some experts said they felt like they were under siege by “language police” over a word they have used for decades. In Michigan, federal authorities said the plotters discussed putting the governor on trial as a “tyrant” before Election Day. The case has become an election issue as President Donald Trump has cast doubts on the plot and continued to vilify Whitmer. The possibility that armed groups might try to intimidate voters at the polls prompted the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law to publish a legal guide to confront such groups for all 50 states. “It has all been whitewashed and made safe for broader public consumption by wrapping it in the flag,” said Neiwert. “They call themselves patriots, although you have never met a more seditious bunch.”

What is a militia? And why is the word so controversial these days?

Supporters of Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary groups began to withdraw from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday (January 1), a day after they stormed the outer perimeter, forcing Washington to dispatch extra troops and threaten reprisals against Iran.

Iraqi militias withdraw from U.S. Embassy

militia

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