I am worried about the hype and hysteria going on. It is possible the US political right is involved in the live anthrax attacks, but there is no hard evidence.
The "Army of God" is claiming credit for the 170+ hoax anthrax letters sent to Planned Parenthood & reproductive health clinics. The Army of God apparently does not exist formally but is primarily a slogan used by a loose network of Christian Right militants. The Army of God is part of the militant anti-abortion wing of the Christian Right, not the militias, although some ovelap is possible, and some in the militia movement are anti-abortion activists.
Aryan Nations wannabe Larry Wayne Harris was a notorious blowhard. The James Ridgeway Village Voice article on him failed to mention that Harris was convicted on the charge of using phony credentials to obtain test samples. He apparently only had veterinary grade anthrax. The Ridgeway article was misleading. See Ridgeway article at: http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0142/ridgeway.php
One "expert" in Australia announced the prime suspects were the militias. This was pure speculation. There have been several articles that discussed a number of suspect groups including those on the political right in a cautious and responsible manner. An example was an article by Kevin Cullen in the Boston Globe. See Cullen 10/21/2001 article at: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/294/nation/In_anthrax_puzzle_some_see_evidence _pointing_within_US+.shtml But even this generally cautious aricle contained some dubious claims by experts.
It is a bad idea to lump together the Christian Right, Patriot/militias, and Extreme Right, because these are three distinct movements (with some overlap). One article in the British press not only mixed up all three movements, tossed off the line "illegal militias." The militias are a right-wing vigilante movment with a subtext of white supremacy and antisemitism. They should be opposed but are not "illegal."
Civil liberties and accuracy are important and related. Carelessness can fuel the idea that the government should just arrest all political dissidents in a time of crisis. I am opposed to government repression against folks across the political spectrum, but if that doesn't work for you, consider that any power we give the federal government right now to go after the political right, will be used against the political left really soon.
Here is what I posted on the PRA website after an e-mail converstaion with several experts who study the US political right and terrorism:
"Who is behind these anthrax letters?" at: http://www.publiceye.org/frontpage/911/cbw.html
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Who is behind these anthrax letters?
Nobody really knows
Anyone who claims they know (as of Monday October 21 at 10pm) is just speculating.
Here are possible suspects, and remember it is likely that at least two groups/individuals are involved:
1) The Osama bin Laden networks
2) Other Muslim or Arab terrorists
3) Other pro-Muslim or pro-Arab terrorists
4) Agents of an anti-US government
5) Foreign terrorists who hate the US government but are not directly related to pro-Muslim or pro-Arab terrorists
6) The militant anti-abortion wing of the Christian Right
(likely in hoax letters to Planned Parenthood
clinics, but very unlikely in other cases
involving real anthrax)
7) Patriot & militia movement members or followers
8) The Extreme Right including neonazis
9 One crazy person or several crazy people acting independently
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-Chip Berlet