From: "Tom Trouble" <twbounds-AT-pop.mail.rcn.net> Subject: Fw: National Guard and Paramilitary Extremists Clash Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 17:23:58 -0400 > Subject: National Guard and Paramilitary Extremists Clash > > April 19 > > BOSTON - National guard units seeking to confiscate a cache > of recently banned assault weapons were ambushed on April > 19th by elements of a paramilitary extremist faction. Military > and law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and > more than 200 injured before government forces were compelled to > withdraw. > > Speaking after the clash Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage > declared that the extremist faction, which was made up of > local citizens, has links to the radical right-wing tax protest > movement. > > Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism > directed against internal revenue offices. The governor, who > described the group's organizers a "criminals," issued an > executive order authorizing the summary arrest of any individual > who has interfered with the government's efforts to secure > law and order. > > The military raid on the extremist arsenal followed wide-spread > refusal by the local citizenry to turn over recently outlawed > assault weapons. Gage issued a ban on military style assault > weapons and ammunition earlier in the week. This decision > followed a meeting in early this month between government > and military leaders at which the governor authorized the > forcible confiscation of illegal arms. > > One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, > pointed out that "none of these people would have been killed > had the extremists obeyed the law and turned over their weapons > voluntarily." Government troops initially succeeded in > confiscating a large supply of outlawed weapons and ammunition. > However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in > Lexington met with resistance from heavily armed extremists > who had been tipped off regarding the government's plans. > > During a tense standoff in Lexington's town park, National > Guard Colonel Francis Smith, commander of the government > operation, ordered the armed group to surrender and return > to their homes. The impasse was broken by a single shot, > which was reportedly fired by one of the right-wing > extremists. > > Eight civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange. Ironically, > the local citizenry blamed government forces rather than the > extremists for the civilian deaths. Before order could be > restored, armed citizens from surrounding areas had descended > upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding his forces > overmatched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat. > > Governor Gage has called upon citizens to support the > state/national joint task force in its effort to restore law > and order. The governor also demanded the surrender of those > responsible for planning and leading the attack against the > government troops. Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock, > who have been identified as "ringleaders" of the extremist > faction, remain at large. > >
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