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June 13, 2011 in City
CdA agents help search for ex-militia leader in Montana
David Earl Burgert, a member of Kalispell, Mont militia group, pictured after an arrest in Feb. 2002.
(Full-size photo)
FBI agents from Coeur d’Alene are in Montana to help search for a former militia leader who officials say fired on deputies and previously told police “he wasn’t going to be taken down like last time.”
The agents traveled to northwest Montana Sunday to assist in the manhunt for David Burgert, said Don Robinson, agent in charge of the Coeur d’Alene office.
“We had a request from Missoula County for support,” Robinson said. “Hopefully we find him in whatever state he’s in quickly, and it’s over.”
Burgert fled in a Jeep on Sunday when officers stopped to make a check on a vehicle at a picnic site near Lolo on U.S. Highway 12. Officers pursued Burgert until he pulled over, jumped out and fired a handgun at deputies, Missoula County Undersheriff Mike Dominick told the Missoulian.
The deputies returned fire — no one was hurt — before Burgert grabbed gear from the Jeep and fled on foot into the woods, Dominick said.
Burgert is the former leader of a Flathead County militia group known as Project 7, named for the number “7” on Flathead County license plates. Project 7 allegedly plotted to assassinate local officials, go to war with the National Guard and overthrow the federal government.
Burgert served time in the Federal Bureau of Prisons on weapons charges before being released on probation. Before his sentencing, he was diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder.
Last week, he was stopped by the Montana Highway Patrol for a moving violation. He told patrolmen then “he wasn’t going to be taken down like last time” and that “it would take a SWAT team” to bring him in, Dominick said.
Missoula police, Missoula County sheriff’s officers, and law officers from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Montana National Guard were looking for Burgert on Monday.
Burgert is described as 6 feet 2 inches tall and 230 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a bluish colored shirt and a fanny pack and is believed to be armed with a handgun and possibly a rifle.
“He is extremely dangerous, and he’s a danger to anyone he meets,” Dominick said.
In July 2004, Burgert pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess illegal firearms, possession of a machine gun and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal prosecutors argued he led a group that amassed machine guns and explosives. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Burgert had been arrested in February 2002 after a standoff and a chase. He had a machine gun when he was arrested, and authorities found thousands of rounds of ammunition and homemade explosives while searching sites associated with Project 7.
At the time, officials in Flathead County in far northwestern Montana said that “Project 7” also conspired to kill local police officers, judges and county prosecutors.
Lolo is about 10 miles southwest of Missoula.
The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Burgert as an associate of Alaska militia leader Francis Schaeffer Cox, who is in jail on federal charges accusing him of plotting to kill law enforcement officials. Cox, 27, was the featured speaker at a meeting of extremist groups at the Post Falls Greyhound Park in December 2009.
Man dies following early Saturday accident 
eagleproducer on June 13 at 2:26 p.m.
2004… convicted… sentenced to 10 years in federal prison… light sentence for all that was involved… seven years later… how long has he been out? can’t the feds even count to 10?
johnclarke on June 13 at 2:36 p.m.
Ooh, I can see how this is going to end. LE’s be careful, please.
maria on June 13 at 4:33 p.m.
He sure is fugly.
misjustice on June 13 at 4:37 p.m.
He sure is pasty; not enough green leafy vegetables!
maria on June 13 at 4:48 p.m.
Hike faster! I hear banjo music!
Spokane_Citizen on June 13 at 5:54 p.m.
This is why the whole PNW inland area is considered a hotbed of racism, violence, anti-government dingbat rhetoric and bigotry.
Spokane_Citizen on June 13 at 6:19 p.m.
I’m thinkin Hawken or Dazzee will probably have his mug shot blown up into a full sized hero poster (for their bedrooms in mom and dad’s basement)!
msfreeh on June 13 at 11:11 p.m.
CNN exclusive: FBI misconduct reveals sex, lies and videotape
By Scott Zamost and Kyra Phillips, CNN Special Investigations Unit
January 27, 2011
Washington (CNN) — An FBI employee shared confidential information with his girlfriend, who was a news reporter, then later threatened to release a sex tape the two had made.
A supervisor watched pornographic videos in his office during work hours while “satisfying himself.”
And an employee in a “leadership position” misused a government database to check on two friends who were exotic dancers and allowed them into an FBI office after hours.
These are among confidential summaries of FBI disciplinary reports obtained by CNN, which describe misconduct by agency supervisors, agents and other employees over the last three years.
Read the FBI documents obtained by CNN
drywitt99 on June 13 at 11:24 p.m.
“Burgert is the former leader of a Flathead County militia group known as Project 7, named for the number “7” on Flathead County license plates. Project 7 allegedly plotted to assassinate local officials, go to war with the National Guard and overthrow the federal government.”
Kinda surprised he wasn’t at tonight’s Republican debate??
Sounds like just the candidate the teabaggers are looking for!!
The walking…talking….and shooting poster-boy for SECOND AMENDMENT REMEDIES.