Bomb Note Suggests Aryan Ties Fbi Task Force Investigating Terrorist Motive In Bank Robbery

Bombers responsible for robbing a Spokane Valley bank may have ties to a secret Aryan enforcement group known as the Phineas Priesthood.

A signature resembling the emblem of the Aryan enforcers is at the bottom of letters left Monday at Valley offices of The Spokesman-Review and U.S. Bank.

At least three suspects are being sought by a special team of federal agents and local detectives.

The FBI is investigating whether the bombers are connected to the Aryan Republican Army, a group that has committed at least 16 bank robberies and bombings in the Midwest.

The notes left in Spokane threaten bankers and make repeated references to the white supremacy beliefs promoted by the Aryan Nations and other Christian Identity churches.

“Flee you usurer from the face of our land and all that would not the Master should bring,” the notes say.

Usurers are moneylenders who charge exorbitant rates of interest. In the Old Testament, usury violates God’s law.

The notes conclude, “The end of Babylon is come. Praise Yahweh.” “Yahweh” is the Hebrew term for God, commonly used by white separatists and supremacists.

The emblem for the Phineas Priesthood resembles a capital letter “P” superimposed on a cross. Phineas is a white supremacist hero from the Bible who killed race-mixers.

Officially, the FBI is not linking the robbery and twin bombings to any group or even calling the crimes acts of domestic terrorism.

“There is no group taking particular responsibility for this,” said Burdena G. Pasenelli, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle region.

But the FBI responding with manpower and urgency seldom seen in Spokane - immediately established a task force to investigate the crimes.

Agents are examining the possibility that the crimes were carried out by a small cell of right-wing terrorists.

The bombings and follow-up bank robbery resemble crimes committed by the Aryan Republican Army.

Two leaders of that white supremacy organization, Peter K. Langan and Richard L. Guthrie Jr., are in federal custody and accused of at least 18 bank robberies in seven states in the last 28 months.

Pipe bombings or fake bombs routinely were used by the those suspects as diversions before the robberies.

A third suspect, Jim Thompson of Pittsburg, Kan., remains a fugitive.

“Our information is that this Aryan Republican Army has a network of safe houses from the East Coast to the Pacific Northwest,” said Michael Reynolds, a hate-crimes expert with Klanwatch.

Reynolds said the Spokane crimes have “earmarks similar” to robberies and bombings carried out by the Aryan Republican Army.

Initially, the robbers were known as the Midwestern Bank Bandits, and used masks of presidents Nixon and Clinton, and even a Santa Claus disguise.

Both Langan and Guthrie made the FBI’s Top 10 Most-Wanted list before they were arrested in late January in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio.

The two men have attended Aryan World Congress meetings at the Aryan Nations in North Idaho, sources say.

In one robbery in Bridgeton, Mo., the bandits bought a Ford Fairmont for $400 in the name of retired FBI agent Wayne Manis of Coeur d’Alene.

Manis investigated criminals tied to the Aryan Nations, including white supremacists who formed The Order in the mid-1980s and carried out bombings and armed robberies.

Pasenelli, the FBI regional supervisor in Seattle, flew to Spokane to head up the investigation.

The FBI supervisor said the bombers’ note contained “a lot of religious rhetoric,” but she didn’t release copies.

Several copies of the two-page typed note, which may be computer-produced, were left at the U.S. Bank branch at Mullan and Sprague.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 5 Photos (1 Color); 2 sketches

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: If you think you have seen either of these suspects, please contact the FBI at (509) 747-5195 or Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.