By: Melina Matthes
mmatthes@klkntv.com
The FBI is keeping a close watch on an extremist group after deadly shootings in Louisiana last week. You may have recently heard about a group of Americans called Sovereign Citizens. Seven people were arrested for shooting several Louisiana deputies. Some are now being linked to the group, including a Beatrice man.
The FBI lists Sovereign Citizens among the nation's top domestic terror threats, many don't pay taxes, carry a driver's license or have a social security card. Some have become extremely violent and have little regard for police.
Two deputies killed and two wounded just outside New Orleans last week. The FBI believes Kyle Joekel of Gage county and six other suspects opened fire. And that they're part of a group known as Sovereign Citizens. The FBI says the group is a growing domestic threat to law enforcement and classifies them as anti-government extremists. There's an estimated 300,000 in the country. They are described as a loose network of individuals living in the U.S. who believe that federal, state and local governments operate illegally. The FBI says some of their actions, although peculiar are usually minor, such as not paying their taxes and creating false documents like license plates, driver's licenses, and even currency.
"They just have a different set of beliefs and they're very adament in their beliefs, are they dangerous? Not normally, but there is a tipping point ya know like anybody," Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said.
Authorities say some of the more severe crime from Sovereign Citizens, include financial scams to impersonating or threatening law enforcement officials, the FBI says if someone challenges their ideology, the behavior of these extremists can quickly escalate to violence.
"Just because somebody says 'I'm a Sovereign Citizen', that's not a crime and that doesn't make them wanted by anybody or put them on any watch list. If they take some sort of illegal act on behalf of being a Sovereign Citizen, then that's where you look at domestic terrorism," Sheriff Wagner said.
Another point about Sovereign Citizens. They only recognize the Sheriff as the sole law enforcement official that they'll answer to because they are elected.
