‘Holocaust’ Fears Brought Militia Cell Raid, Say Police

A Los Angeles Police Department official on Saturday said the department had no choice but to move in on a group of five suspected militia members - even though they were charged with only relatively minor weapons offenses that allowed all but one to walk out of jail on bail shortly after the arrests were announced.

“To have waited any longer in this case would have invited a holocaust similar to (the shootout between police and two bank robbers in) North Hollywood, and possibly much more grave,” LAPD Cmdr. Tim McBride said. Police said the suspects had been planning to pull off various unspecified acts of domestic terrorism.

“It’s easy for others to be critical. However, when they see the weaponry that was taken off the street, and the probable loss of life that would have occurred had these weapons been activated, there was no other decision …” McBride said. “They needed to move now to ensure these weapons weren’t used against the public.”

The suspects were identified as Glenn Yee, 43, of San Dimas, a reserve Irwindale police officer; Avin Ung, 31, of Ontario; Mark Grand, 31, of Mar Vista; Timothy Swanson, 43, of Los Angeles; and Raymond Durand, 33, of Santa Clarita. All were allowed to walk out of jail after posting no more than $15,000 bail except Durand, who remains in custody.

Police said the suspects were part of a “militia cell” that belonged to a larger organization. The suspects were allegedly planning to attack several Southern California targets, but police refused to identify those locations.