Scott Roeder Held As "Person Of Interest" In Probe Of Dr. George Tiller's Murder

***UPDATE*** McClatchy Newspapers is reporting that Scott Roeder, the "person of interest" held by police in Kansas, belonged to the "Freemen" anti-government group in the 1990s and was once arrested for having bomb-making materials in his car:

"Freemen" was a term adopted by those who claimed sovereignty from government jurisdiction and operated under their own legal system, which they called common-law courts. Adherents declared themselves exempt from laws, regulations and taxes and often filed liens against judges, prosecutors and others, claiming that money was owed to them as compensation.

In April 1996, Roeder was arrested in Topeka after Shawnee County sheriff's deputies stopped him for not having a proper license plate. In his car, officers said they found ammunition, a blasting cap, a fuse cord, a one-pound can of gunpowder and two 9-volt batteries, with one connected to a switch that could have been used to trigger a bomb.

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The man detained by Kansas police as a "person of interest" in their probe of the murder of abortion doctor George Tiller has been identified as Scott Roeder.

Johnson County sheriff's spokesman Tom Erickson told the AP that Roeder has not been charged in the slaying and was expected to be taken to Wichita for questioning.

KSHB-TV reports:

Johnson County Sheriff's deputies stopped Scott Roeder on I-35 between the two main Gardner exits around 1:30 p.m. He surrendered without incident. Deputies did not find any weapons on him...

According to Phannestiel, Roeder is on temporary hold for Sedgwick County at the Johnson County New Century Detention Center near Gardner. Roeder is considered a person of interest at this time.

In 2007, someone named Scott Roeder posted the following on the Website of anti-abortion group Operation Rescue:

Bleass everyone for attending and praying in May to bring justice to Tiller and the closing of his death camp. Sometime soon, would it be feasible to organize as many people as possible to attend Tillers church (inside, not just outside) to have much more of a presence and possibly ask questions of the Pastor, Deacons, Elders and members while there? Doesn't seem like it would hurt anything but bring more attention to Tiller.

Comments

[timetorevolt]

06:35 PM on 06/01/2009

Isn't it strange that someone with history of terroristic action can be allowed on the streets but if you're in possesion of a small percentage of marijuana three times will get you a life sentence. Could it be that because domestic terrorist,( KKK,Neo Nazis..etc) are primarily white males? And do they think we don't know the real reason they oppose Sonia Sotomayor?

[jackbutler5555]

06:24 PM on 06/01/2009

I hope people normally opposed to capital punishment are not for it just because it's a guy they don't like. I hope people who support First Amendment rights are not interested in curtailing those rights as they apply to the abortion debate. I hope people who believe in innocent until proven guilty, will continue to do so in this instance. I hope people who believe that people have the right to peacefully assemble will continue to support the right of the anti-abortion folks to protest peacefully in front of abortion clinics.

[Deadgnome]

06:10 PM on 06/01/2009

Gotta love the black out of FOX about this story.

[Celticgrrrl]

05:58 PM on 06/01/2009

"The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons."

Above is the definition of terrorism from Answers.com.

The act that this person committed is well inside this definition. He should be tried under the law as a terrorist. Groups that engage in acts within this definition should be treated as terrorist organizations; no different from the Islamic organizations that foment hate.

There is not one bit of difference between islamists and christianists.

NONE.

[Pupadup4oBama]

06:05 PM on 06/01/2009

You are absolutely correct. Scary...isn't it?

[Celticgrrrl]

06:23 PM on 06/01/2009

It is scary, but I am not sacred. We need to demand that this person be tried under the appropriate laws in the appropriate venue.

[OceanSize]

05:53 PM on 06/01/2009

Whah? A Christian committed a terrorist act? I guess we must therefore assume that ALL Christians are terrorists? That seems to be the fashion nowadays.

[auntiecairo]

04:17 PM on 06/01/2009

This guy should be sent to Gitmo witih other terrorists. .

[ReelBusy]

05:31 PM on 06/01/2009

No, we can handle his kind (and all bad guys) here in the states until his (or the guilty parties) legal trial, sentencing and hopeful execution.

[Deadgnome]

06:09 PM on 06/01/2009

In a sense execution makes us bad guys.

[jhamm1]

06:08 PM on 06/01/2009

Indeed. Technically, right-wing militias qualify as terrorist organizations, so it's only fair to administer the same treatment which right-wing fanatics have been authorizing on those of other nationalities.

[Zofomofo]

03:07 PM on 06/01/2009

Let's not join the team of reactionaries who then lump anti-abortionists in with people like this murderer. This type of polarizing is what fuels people like Roeder.

You can think abortion is wrong and not be a nut case or extremist. I am for abortion rights, but this is not as simple as "It's a woman's body, so you must hate woman and are a nut" if you have a problem with it.

Yes, if someone who hold sway over others, like most religious leaders and equates abortion with the holocaust, they have gone too far. But where do you draw the line? What do you do? Put them in jail, execute them?
If you think abortion should be legal, then by your logic, those on the other side are justified in wanting the same for you. Besides, what about the first amendment?

Unfortuantely, I think we all know this is a gray area issue and feel the need to black and white it inorder to strengthen our positions to ourselves. Let's face it, abortion is an ugly business. The only problem is, not having it is even uglier for society.

[brooklyncitizen]

12:20 PM on 06/01/2009

What is needed is a strong and immediate response on the part of the Federal govt on all levels...yes the AG's actions is a start...wonder if this guy will be waterboarded?

[nvzephyr]

11:59 AM on 06/01/2009

Make no mistake about it. This crime is the inevitable result of the hateful and violent rhetoric that has become common in certain churches, on certain radio programs, and on the internet. Words -- and even thoughts -- have ramifications. What people visualize and verbalize becomes reality.

Condolences to this doctor's family.

[wanda665]

04:52 PM on 06/01/2009

and this is why such hate is preached. what other results could they want

[dollyrocker98]

11:57 AM on 06/01/2009

If Roeder did it---hang him! Rowe v. Wade IS the law of the land and I'm sick of anti-choicers trying to force THEIR religious views on everyone else!!

[NancyNaive]

10:44 AM on 06/01/2009

"The Department of Homeland Security has ascertained that military-trained Right Wing extremists pose a threat of terrorism'

And Rush did howl...

You have more to fear from the radical Christian Right than you do from radical Muslims in a cave 10,000 miles over the horizon.

[brooklyncitizen]

12:17 PM on 06/01/2009

He howled because he is part of that movement...

[Pupadup4oBama]

06:08 PM on 06/01/2009

He howled because he's a dog....wait, that's offensive to dogs....he's a pig....wait, that's offensive to pigs...(and so forth and so on).

[foofoobunny]

04:22 PM on 06/01/2009

the sad part is, that is probably a true statement.

[felisa11]

08:56 AM on 06/01/2009

People such as this monster and ALL skinheads, KKK members and Anti-American commentators need to be placed on a list and monitored around the clock.

They are the true terrorists on our own soil.

The wives and the family members of these psychos should have a tollfree number provided for them, to report any suspicious activities without being identified. They people are monsters.

[keepemhonest]

11:40 AM on 06/01/2009

I only hope they are.

[SN365]

01:31 PM on 06/01/2009

Don't these groups pose a great threat to the national security of our nation? Why was the US government not willing to eliminate them as they did with the Black Panthers in the 70s?

[HotheadPaisen]

04:41 PM on 06/01/2009

Did you miss the 'black' part?

[cincia]

07:32 AM on 06/01/2009

"We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down," Troy Newman, Operation Rescue's president, said in a statement. "Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning."

Dont broadstroke all anti-abortionists with this man...He is a whackjob obviously. As far as his "freemen" activity President Obama himself hangs around with a man who blew up US assets to further his causes and now has the ear of the President...I'd be more worried about that.

[TakingBackTheUSA]

10:13 AM on 06/01/2009

aren't you tired of that old "palling around with terr0ri$ts" line yet?

Ayers crimes were 40 years ago. This guy is currently active and has been off and on for a decade apparently.

While I will agree with you that this guy was an extreme case and not all white males should be painted with the same brush, your citation of a failed GOP talking point and your concern about it lessens your credibility on the issue.

[dillydawg]

10:15 AM on 06/01/2009

Well said. Spot on!

[Pupadup4oBama]

06:10 PM on 06/01/2009

Thank you for your reasonable response....mine wouldn't have been as polite...:)

[gloriousbeing]

10:51 AM on 06/01/2009

OF COURSE you are! SORE LOSER COMMENT.

[MadHeart]

02:51 AM on 06/01/2009

BTW, as I listen to the reactions being expressd, it seems that some people who are saying they are "shocked" that it happened "in church" seem to be more horrified about that, than that it even happened at all.

[sisterdebmac]

03:58 PM on 06/01/2009

Well, churches are tradionally places of "sanctuary", where one generally feels safe. Not anymore, I guess since we seem to have had a rash of recent murders in and around churches.

[SaraPulis]

05:29 PM on 06/01/2009

It seems to me that too much church in general may have been the root of the problem; not an antithetical scene by any means.

[MadHeart]

02:43 AM on 06/01/2009

Does anyone see where Eric Holder has directed US Marshals to protect abortion clinics? I'm wondering if he's also considering filing suit against Roeder and any organization with which he was involved for violation of Dr. Tiller's civil rights? I would love to see a federal suit in this case and bring to the forefront the criminal activities of organizations like Operation Rescue and other orgs like it, as well as those of churches that practice the same kind of anti-civil rights rhetoric and picketing of abortion clinics that prevent, or try to prevent doctors and women from achieving their civil rights. Even the kind of hounding and intimidation you see from those individuals and groups that prevents women from entering a clinic should be grounds for prosecution. Those churches should immediately have their tax-exempt status removed, and that kind of activity should be treated the same way as any person or group would treat churches and/or their participants by trying to criminally stifle their first amendment rights of free speech and the right to practice their own brand of religion. Churches that hide behind and fund anti-abortion groups should be exposed and have their tax-exempt status removed as well.

Law enforcement, especially local LE, should be trained to be more sensitive and forceful concerning the rights of those protected by the Constitution on EITHER side of an issue, and not show their own bias.