6 arrested in weapons raids in Alabama

Federal and state agents arrested six men and seized an arsenal of homemade hand grenades and firearms in raids Thursday, including one that forced the shutdown of a school.

The men, members of the self-styled "Alabama Free Militia," had no apparent plans to use the weapons, but the leader was described as a federal fugitive, federal authorities said.

Agents recovered 130 hand grenades, a grenade launcher, about 70 hand grenades rigged to be fired from a rifle, a machine gun, a short-barrel shotgun, 2,500 rounds of ammunition, explosives components, stolen fireworks and other items, said Jim Cavanaugh, regional head of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Five men were charged in federal court with conspiracy to make a firearm, and the sixth was charged with being a drug user in possession of a firearm. All six were held pending a bond hearing next week.

During the raids, at least five bomb teams were on hand in case explosives were found.

One of the raids in Collinsville, in northeast Alabama, was at a trailer, and another was at a house about a quarter-mile from Collinsville School. School officials said they decided to cancel classes for about 650 students from kindergarten through 12th grade because of the swarm of police vehicles.

"We were going to delay school but because of the possibility of explosives at the residences, we felt it was safer not to have school," DeKalb Sheriff Jimmy Harris said.

Another raid occurred at a camper on farm property. Joanne Gunnin, who owns the property, said the man who was arrested lived in the camper, was known for trying to recruit neighbors to join his militia, and expressed hatred for the government and illegal immigrants.

"He told a 16-year-old boy that he had to make up his mind which side he was going to be on, Americans or Mexicans," Gunnin said.