Oklahoma "Prophet" Indicted in Alleged Bomb Plot

by Bill Johnson

Maintains he is preparing to resist an armed invasion by foreign aggressors	(AR) OKLAHOMA CITY -- An eastern Oklahoma federal grand jury has indicted a self-proclaimed prophet, his wife and two other men -- including a corporate pilot for the Wal-Mart chain -- in what the government calls a plan to bomb various targets throughout the country. Willie Ray Lampley, 65, who maintains he is preparing to resist an armed invasion by foreign aggressors, was named on three counts that could land him as much as 20 years in prison and fines of up to $625,000, or both. The grand jury's indictment, returned November 15th, charged Lampley with one count of possession of a firearm in commission of a violent crime, solicitation of a violent crime and conspiracy to commit the bombings. Federal agents allege the possible targets included the Anti-Defamation League, the Southern Poverty Law Center, welfare offices, abortion clinics and gay clubs. His wife, Cecilia, 50, John Dare Baird, 53, and Larry Wayne Crow were each named on one conspiracy count. They face five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
"I have the right to bear it as an arm," he said, referring to the fertilizer bomb	The Lampleys and Baird were arrested by federal agents, who said they found bomb-making materials, weapons and an ammunition at the Lampley's rural home near Vernon, some 70 miles south of Tulsa. Baird is alleged to have agreed to assist Lampley in constructing an explosive and in using the explosive. Federal agents said they recovered a quantity of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in the search of Lampley's home. The government alleges a bomb made of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil wrecked the Oklahoma City federal building in April, killing 169 people and injuring more than 500 others. Oklahoma Highway Patrol bomb technicians detonated the explosives in a field behind the Lampley's rural home, authorities said. The indictment alleges that Lampley considers himself one of two "witnesses" described in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. Lampley, who has been talking freely with reporters since his arrest, said he had not finished what would have been his first bomb. He reportedly planned to test that first bomb by blowing up a large rock at Elohim City, a white supremacist enclave in eastern Oklahoma. In telephone interviews with the Oklahoman and several Oklahoma City television stations, Lampley said he was making the bombs and stockpiling weapons to be ready when the United States was invaded by a foreign power, which is now massing along the border and will come "sweeping up through Texas." The idea, Lampley told the Oklahoman , was to stockpile the weapons for guerrilla warfare "behind enemy lines until American troops got here." When asked whether he talked about bombing the Anti-Defamation League and abortion clinics, the Oklahoma said Lampley replied, "There was no target ever selected. ... I probably did." Asked whether he was guilty of the charges, Lampley said, "Partially yes and partially no." The Oklahoma, quoted him as saying, "You need to read the Second Amendment -- the right to bear arms is not to be infringed. I have the right to bear it as an arm," referring to the fertilizer bomb. He called the federal government the "most corrupt ... in human history" and told the newspaper that "God said He is bringing judgment against this nation because we will not repent." As to whether he was concerned about being convicted, Lampley said, "It really doesn't matter. What matters is ... there is only three years and 11 months left. So what's the difference, anyway?"
"The militia here has done an excellent job of making sure this ... Lampley didn't hurt anybody"	In August a man identifying himself as Col. Ray Lampley of the Oklahoma Constitutional Militia gave an AP reporter a pamphlet entitled, "The Soldiers of Almighty Yahweh: The Biblical Laws of Yahweh's Militias Against the New World Order." The pamphlet identified targets as "officials who have been traitors to Yahweh's people." Lampley has also posted bizarre messages on the Internet where he declares himself "Prophet of Yahweh." These messages mostly have appeared on small-circulation militia mailing lists, where their content was viewed as extreme. Court records revealed the FBI used a paid informant to secretly tape-record conversations during the investigation. The government alleges Lampley and Crow went to South Dakota about Aug. 8 to meet with members of the Tri-States Militia to solicit support to bomb several buildings. A sworn affidavit by FBI Special Agent W. Eric Paris said that Lampley, during that meeting, said, "We want to take out four or five buildings." The affidavit added that Crow said, "One is not enough. We are ready to take out four or five buildings." Gregory County, S.D., Sheriff Charles Wolf was tipped off by one militia member about the impending visit and what Lampley and Crow wanted. He said he overheard Lampley and Crow talking about their plans. "The good old boys here, of course, wouldn't put up with anything like that, so they got ahold of me," Wolf said. "No one in South Dakota and the Tri-States Militia had anything to do with wanting to blow anything up. Nobody was a bad guy here. "The militia here has done an excellent job of making sure this ... Lampley didn't hurt anybody." Lampley, Crow and the FBI informant allegedly met Aug. 29 with Denis Mahon of Tulsa, who is identified as the Heartland director of the White Aryan Resistance, in an attempt to recruit support for "some strikes." Lampley is quoted as saying, "We're thinking about getting rid of some ADL people." According to the FBI affidavit, Mahon "indicated he would not provide assistance to Lampley in regards to Lampley's planned 'strikes.'" Aspinwall said Crow is ideologically associated with People For The West, which opposes federal intervention on grazing and ranching. Crow, a former Wal-Mart corporate pilot in Arkansas, surrendered November 14th in Albuquerque, N.M., after learning he was being sought. Crow is accused of providing Lampley with a book containing detailed instructions on how to manufacture homemade C-4 explosives. Crow's former wife, Sonya Crow, and his attorney, Charles Aspinwall, said Crow's passengers had included then-Gov. Bill Clinton and Clinton's wife, Hillary. "As far as being close personal friends ... he was just acquainted with Clinton through his job," Sonya Crow told The Associated Press. The lawyer and Mrs. Crow said Crow was a pilot for Tasty Bird, which was acquired by Tyson Foods in 1984. The AP quoted Tyson spokesman Archie Schaffer as saying Crow was dismissed in 1986. Wal-Mart spokesman Keith Morrif said Crow was one of their corporate pilots from February 1987 until April 28. When the Lampleys and Baird made their initial court appearance, U.S. Magistrate James H. Payne ordered them held without bail pending their detention hearing. He also directed that each be assigned a court-appointed attorney. Lampley declined an attorney, saying he would be represented by "Jesus Christ."