Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations Scrapbooks 1995

BIRTHDAY PARTY ....••.••.•...........• BIRTHDAY PARTY . • •• • • •••• • ~ • • •••..••• BIRTHDAY PARTY "You Are Cordially Invited To:" THE 10TH BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR THE KOOTENAI COUNTY TASK FORCE ON HUMAN RELATIONS SATURDAY, JULY _!1, 1991 4:00 P.M.

The Coeur d'Alene City Park Program: Speakers--Members of the Idaho congressional delegation and local officials have been invited.

Keynote Speaker: THE HONORABLE MIKE LOWRY Former Congressman from Seattle, Washington Honoring of Former Task Force Presidents Rev. Rick Morse, Bill Wassmuth and Norm Gissel Music Ceremonial Cutting of Ten Foot Birthday Cake Refreshments

7:00 P.M . -- The Lake City Senior Center 1916 Lakewood Drive Coeur d'Alene, Idaho PREMIERE OF THE KOOTENAI COUNTY TASK FORCE ON HUMAN RELATIONS 90 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY FILM: "STAND UP TO HATE GROUPS BY SAYING YES TO HUMAN RIGHTS" (The film includes over 40 local residents as well as many scenes from this area. There is also TV footage from the 10 year history of the human rights work by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. The presentation of the Raoul Wallenberg Civic Award at the New York City Hall is also included. Following the premiere in Coeur d'Alene a date will be set for a PBS airing in Spokane, Washington. There are video clips from our many celebrations and seminars over the years thus many of our residents are in the film. ) SO MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN A SPECIAL PART OF THE TASK FORCE OVER THESE TEN YEARS THUS THIS IS YOUR PARTY! PLEASE COME AND CELEBRATE YOUR TASK FORCE ON THE 10TH BIRTHDAY!

DAY OF CELEBRATION •••• •• ••• • • •• • • •••• • •••• • ••• ••••••••• DAY OF CELEBRATION BIRTHDAY PARTY •••••••••••• • •••• •••••••••• • ••••••••••• •• • •• • BIRTHDAY PARTY {"SAYING YES TO BUMAN RIGHTS IS THE BEST WAY TO SAY NO TO PREJUDICE")

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COEUR d'ALENE T ragically, a federal siege in Boundary County is being falsely associated with racism and politics, a human rights group said.

The Kootenai County Task Force On Human Relations staged a press conference Monday to cast a new focus on the violent fugitive confrontation near Naples.

"What has happened on the mountain does not have to do with political views, but the law," task force president Tony Stewart said. "U our system is going to survive, we all must respect the laws and the judicial system."

Stewart urged fug itives Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris to surrender "and have their day in court."

Weaver has maintained a self-imposed exile in his remote cabin since failing to appear in cour t on federal weapons charges 18 months ago.

- Photo by KEITH ERICKSON More than a dozen board members of the human rights . Tony Stewart, center, president of the Kootenai County Task Force On Human Relations, and group approved a media state- Marshall Mend, right, were among the task force members who attended Monday's press conment just before the 20-minute ference. press conference.

"This is not a case of civil law. supremacists to the area, Stewart (Weaver saying) Tm going to rights or harassment Yet some "A man is innocent until said. thumb my nose at the judicial groups and individuals have proven guilty. (But) nobody who Stewart also declined to say system.'" attempted to make this incident is charged with a crime can fail to whether he believed Weaver is a The statement added, "This into a political statement," the make their court date ," he said. racist. The fugitive has, however, sad set of facts and the tragic release said.

"We're here today to defend our been labeled a white supremacist death of (U.S. Marshal deputy) Stewart declined to answer judicial system." by his supporters and adver- William F. Degan and a second questions specific to federal A study by the group indicates saries. person has nothing to do with the agents' handling of the siege or the nationwide attention the "We're not here to pass beliefs of Mr. Weaver or Mr. whether he believed Weaver Weaver situation has thrust on judgment ... It is not a question of Harris, no matter how passionatehas been treated fairly by the North Idaho will not attract white political beliefs, but one of ly they embrace those beliefs."

Sides of racism meet face to·face in Cd'A ~

COEUR d'ALENE - A small had swastikas spray-painted on group fa iled to disrupt local his building, and of a multi-racial human rights activists from Coeur d'Alene fa mily which addressing and association meet- underwent severe harassment ing Friday.

Stewart reviewed human rights The Pacific Northwest chapter protection legislation passed in of the American Studies Associa- Idaho. tion, meeting at The Coeur d'ABroadbent reviewe d racist lene Resort, held a human rights criminal activities in the area and round table discussion to hear of around the country since 1981. local efforts to fight racism and He told the group of the original other forms of discrimination. format ion of the Order, the Speaking were human rights crimes members committed, and activists Tony Stewar t, Lar ry its demise.

Broadbent and Anne Salisbury"We would hope this (downfall Brown. of the Order) would have been a Stewart told the group of more perfect ending," Broadbent said. than 70 of incidents in 1981 He then told of the second which spurred local citizens to paramilitary group which carried action. He told of a Jewish restau- off failed 1986 bombings in Coeur rant owner in Hayden Lake who d'Alene.

"In 1981, the Aryan Nations held its first world conference (here)," Broadbent said, "which unified it with groups like the Klu Klux Klan."

"Law enforcement efforts have been rewarding," Broadbent said after rattling off a long list of arrests and convictions of racists locally and nationally. He said that monitor groups provide factual information and provide coordination between the police and communities.

Salisbury-Brown spoke of the support groups which have spun out of the human rights movement in the area. She said the people of the area have played a major role in stemming the rise of racism in their own communi-

NORTH IDAHO NEWS NETWORK M onday, Apr. 15, 1991

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ty.

"It seems to me, the whole Kootenai County Task Force really grew out of the desire to give moral suppor t to victims," Salisbury-Brown said.

About 20 minutes into the hour-long program, area resident Floyd Cochran led several youngsters wearing jackets with racist patches into the rear of the room.

Later, Coch ran ste pped fo rward, and began speaking to the group.

After being asked to respect the format of the symposium, Cochran continued to speak. A uniformed resort security guard escorted Cochran and his young charges out In the hallway, Cochran said he would be back next week with pickets.

Reached later by telephone at the Aryan Nations compound, Cochran relented on his earlier comment to picket the resort "We're not going to picket the place," Cochran said. "I guess it

is something that was said in the heat of the moment"

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"We just wanted to show people there that we are intelligent huma n beings and possibly de bunk some of the myths," Cochran said. "We would like this area to be an all white area of like-thinking people."

Reache d later by telephone, Stewart minimu.ed the incident.

"Over the years. we have dealt with this," Stewart said.

message never cbaqes.•

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VOL. 88 NO. 268

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1995

3 SECTIONS

50 CENTS

--.------.,.r- -

Militia man fears backlash

By RITA HOLLI NGSWORTH Staff writer

COEUR d'ALENE -Tom Stetson - a member of Kootenai County's "unorganized" militia - fears the reputation of the nationwide movement has been tarnished by the Michigan Militia's connection to the Oklahoma bombing.

"By definition, the militia is purely defensive," the 51-year-old Stetson said.

By comparison, the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City was an offensive act of terrorism, Stetson said.

"That's an aggressive act It's not a defensive act That's not the function of the militia, and if militiamen did it, they shouldn't have," he said.

Stetson, however, said he expected President Bill

Clinton, Attorney General J anet Reno and the national media to convince Americans that all mi liti amen are terrorists and that the movement has been infiltrated by white supremacists.

"They're trying to smear everything together, and that's wrong," he said.

Stetson A Coeur d'Alene resident for the past eight years, Stetson is a former Montana resident who claims a familial connection to 11 ancestors who fought in the American Revolution.

See MILITIA, Page A 11

C6 THE COEUR d'ALENE PRESS Friday, Feb. 23, 1996

I [6J Qpinion

legislation necessary to handle bombers Imagine the frustration of Kootenai County's prosecutors and law enforcement officers when a mental health patient possessing multiple pipe bombs came back for a second time to a Coeur d'Alene mental health office.

They were as powerless the second time as the first to bring charges against him. Unless he was actively threatening people or property with his bombs, or had detonated them, he might as well have been dropping coins into the collection plate at church.

He was in violation of multiple federal laws, but federal law officials have little time to pursue small-change mental health patients, what with investigations at Oklahoma City and the harassment of legitimate g un-owners exerting more pressing demands on their resources.

If the federal government neglects to prosecute a potential Coeur d'Alene bomber, he doesn't get prosecuted. There's no state law preventing a mental patient from driving around town with a load of pipe bombs at the ready.

Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Douglas has introduced legislation in Boise to remedy this defect.

S. 1442, which will be the subject of a hearing in Boise this afternoon, makes it a felony to possess bombs and bomb-making components without proper licensure by the state.

Specifically excluded from its prohibitions are rifle, shotgun and pistol ammunition.

Still, some handloaders are fearful the legislation would make them felons.

Douglas patterned his proposed legislation after a Utah statute aimed at dealing with terrorists, and if the measure passes muster in Utah - possibly the one state in the Union less receptive to Second Amendment restrictions than Idaho - then it's doubtful handloaders have anything to fear.

To make sure, perhaps the addition of the phrase "and their components" to the section excluding "rifle, shotgun and handgun ammunition" would put Idaho's reloaders at ease without weakening the bill. With such additional wording, gun owners and handloaders should have no problem with S. 1442.

Idaho would be better off policing terrorists itself than waiting for the BATF or some other federal entity to do it for us.

Douglas should be applauded for his initiative in wresting some state control over potential mad bombers away from the federal government. S. 1442 deserves a favorable hearing this afternoon and should become law.

Say it loud: There's no room for bigotr~ in North Idaho cv11- fr G s ..r Op1Il10fi . . r;- lf- 7~ U e St

Order rand II. In the early '80s, it took incidents of harassment and the violence of the Order A recent editorial by the North Idaho unite the people of North Idaho into a News Network regarding the plans of stand for justice and diversity. That • established a role with other supremacist groups like Pete Peter's effort, which resulted in the formation of Louis Beam to move to North Idaho deserve comment. The editorial says " Scriptures for America, America's the Kootenai County Task Force on ... judging from the reaction, one would Human Relations and other human rights Promise and the Jubilee Tabloid. think he (Louis Beam) was bringing a Paul Hall, Sr, Beam's partner in the groups, was successful in creating a cliPanzer tank division with him." Actually, land deal east of Sandpoint, is the man- mate of respect and tolerance, a climate there is plenty of evidence that Louis aging editor of the Jubilee tabloid. that would not allow the bigotry of the Beam and others associated with him will Jubilee has become the leading publiAryan Nations to take root. Educators, continur their march of running over the cation of the Christian Identity movebusiness people members of the minority rights ol others much like the tank diviment and is home to a nurnbei; of writcommunity, law enforcement, elected sions of Nazi Germany. There is plenty of ers of racist materials. On its pages, officials, church/synagogue leaders and readers can find the core tenets of members - everyone came together to history to establish that goals of supremacists are pursued by means of Christian Identity (the theology of stand for what was right. force and violence - at the point of a gun. racism), rampant anti-Semitism and It's time to do it again. Let's protect The editorial goes on to sugg\:Sl that Holocaust denial, a smattering of Chris· every one's rights including the rights Mr. Beam may acquire tolerance if he is tian patriot tax evasion schemes, militia of Mr. Beam and Mr. Hall. But let's not treated civilly. Fair treatment, yes, but if organizing and even support for open wait for violence and criminal activity to history has taught us anything it has force us into taking a stand for justice neo-Nazis. taught us through Britain's Prime MinisCertainly, these two men, like everyand peace, Let's speak out loudly and ter Ne, ·•,. Chamberlain's failed attempt clearly - there is no room for bigotry in one in this country. have basic constituto apl)f'ase Hitler and the Nazis, that tional freedoms of speech, no matter North Idaho. Let's re-examine the way there can be no compromise with bigotry how ugly the words they speak. And that we treat each other - is it with the and hatred. they have the right to move to North respect and dignity that every person Let's look at some history: Louis Beam Idaho. But their beliefs and presence are deserves? Let's stand together in the • was Texas Grand Dragon of the of concern to anyone who values justice face of the bigotry that wants to divide Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in the mid and peace. It must be remembered that us and continue to build a society that is even before violence and criminal action as beautiful and peaceful as the scenery 1970s; • organized the Texas Emergency happen. people, especially those who are of North Idaho. Never again. Let us nevReserve which was shut down by a 1982 the targets of the bigotry, are intimidater again, North Idaho, sit by quietly as Texas law against such private armies; bigotry and hatred settle in as our ed and threatened.

• harassed Vietnamese shrimp fisherWe've been here before. The original neighbor. men in Galveston Bay until a 1981 court response to the Aryan Nations was "wait and see" or ''ignore and it will go away... order stopped the harassment; Bill Wassmutlt is a former resident of • has served as ambassador at large of What happened? People of color and North Idaho who ,ww lives in Seattle. He the Aryan Nations; Jewish people were threatened and is chairman ofthe Northwest Coalition • has promoted a model for paramiliintimidated (there are still people who Against Malicious Harassment. Tony tary organizing called Leaderless Resisare afraid to drive through North IdaStewart is a professor at North Idaho Coltance in which small tight-knit cells carry ho), the area and the entire state were lege and chairman ofthe Kootenai County out violent acts in secret so as to avoid Task Force on H1'man Relations. 11,eir labeled as havens for bigotry and seridetection by law enforcement: ous violence erupted, especial)y with opinions are their own.

By BILL WASS MUTH and TONY STEWART

"A lot of students aren't prejudiced, but they don't know how to deal with it," said Mead High School adviser Angela McBride. and Northwood Junior High School, Continued from B1 also in Mead, have a growing probCamp PEACE (the acronym lem of their own, they said. stands for People Everywhere Are image that it's a haven for racists.

Created EquaJ) trains students how "I don't have any problems with my Thal wasn't too difficult. The stustand up for equal rights and gives dents at Sandpoint High School, led race," said Dulce Nevarez, a North- to them tools to fight prejudice at wood ninth-grader from Mexico. by senior Nicole Baran, already had started a human rights club called "But one of my friends last week was school.

Today, the students will get toSTAAR, Students Take Action called a nigger."

The students who overheard the gether to create action plans before Against Racism.

Sandpoint may not be any more insult just laughed. No one inter- returning to their schools. Previous racist than any other community, vened or objected, she said. "They visitors to Camp PEACE, such as don't want to say anything, because Coeur d'Alene students, have started Baran said. human rights clubs after attending "With Mark Fuhrman, people they don't want anyone to get mad." thecamp. have realized that there are racist Racial tensions at the school seem The people in this group "are people in the community," she said. to be growing, said student body "lf people don't do anything about it, president Ryan Valentine. One sign going to be a little bit closer," Sam they (racists) will feel like they can of this was a Ku Klux Klin hood that Thomas said. '"This could make a a student wore to last year's school difference. This could start a come here." change."

Students from Mead High School Mardi Gras celebration.

Camp: 'This could start a change'

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Frank Cipriano, a Sandpoint High senior, gets the " leader" headband from chief Instructor Peggy Federici.

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â&#x20AC;˘ Just desserts. Emily Miller finishes off a lemon meringue pie on Kris Stein, NIC's student body president. The fund-raising event collected $175 to fund a scholarship for the winner of the NIC Human Rights Essay Contest held by The Human Equality Club.

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Al -- -------------------------...1 THE COEUR d'ALENE PRESS Wednesday,

10, 1996

North Idaho MLK Day activities moved COEUR d' ALENE Construction has moved the annual Martin Luther King Day children's celebration and the Interfaith Breakfast to new locations.

The human rights celebra tio n for area fifthgraders and the public will be 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the North Idaho College gymnasium. In previous years, the program ha9' been held in the NIC auditorium, however that facility is being remodeled.

The Interfaith Breakfast on Monday will be in The Coeur d'Alene Resort, Bay 3, rather than the Coeur d'Alene Inn and Conference Center as previously announced. The event was moved because of noise from construction at the former Holiday Inn. Reservations for the 7:30 a.m. breakfast must be made by Thursday. Call 664-6408. Price of the breakfast is $8.50.

The breakfast program will feature Rabbi David Fink and Rabbi Laura Rappaport from Boise and local ministers Mike Bullard and Grant McLean. The program will recognize and celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Coeur d'Alene High School Human Equality Club.

The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations will conclude its events Monday evening with a gala celebration at the historic Clark House Mansion on Hayden Lake.

The program will consist of music by professional blues group Thom and Padma Rutley with guitarist Steve Brody, a silent auction with items donated by local businesses and individuals, hors d'oeuvres and beverages.

Information and reservations, 664-6408

Human rights group celebrates King Day, legacy -~----

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COEUR d' ALENE - More than 150 people came together Monday to celebrate 15 years of human rights in North Idaho.

The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations held two Martin Luther King Day celebrations to recognize where the group has gone and where its going. ''We're planning to emphasize education over the long term," said Marshall Mend, one of task force founders.

Mend and Tony Stewart were two task force founders who attended a gala reception Monday night.

About 100 past and present members, legislators and other supporters participated in a silent and oral auction, to benefit Camp Peace, an annual program that teaches area students the principles of tolerance, cooperation and biendship.

"There is a really good turnout and everyone had a good time,"

Stewart said.

The task force's celebration began Monday morning with an interfaith breakfast, where two rabbis and ministers celebrated the holiday. Mend said about 60 people attended this event "People in this area have been very supportive of our principles, and have helped us in many ways," he said. Support has included dona-

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From left, Inez Anderson, Cindy Shannon, David Anderson, and nm Shannon enjoy food served at the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations Gala Reception held in the Clark House Mansion Monday night.

lions of time and money, efforts in Boise with human rights legislation, attending rallies and putting together symposiums.

Mend was delighted the task force has together so long. It was formed in December 1980 when a

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group of community members felt broke apart after this goal was something should be done about achieved, but reformed when a miligrowing bigotry. In 1983, after a few tant offshot of the Aryan Nations years of campaigning from the task began giving people the view that force. the state legislature passed North Idaho is a hotbed of racism. an anti-malicious harassment law.

The task force has set up a comMend said the group sort of munity response committee, which

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Events to celebrate King, task force COEUR d'ALENE - A series of events is planned to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and celebrate the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' 15th anniversary as a local civil rights organization.

Linda Payne, President of the Task Force, said the group, in cooperation with the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls school dis1ricts. the NIC Popcorn Forum and NIC Human Equality Club, will sponsor the 11th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Children's Program on Jan. 11. Some 1,200 5th graders from Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls will present the program entitled, "I Have a Dream."

An Interfaith Breakfast for the Christian and Jewish communities will be held on Dr. King's birthday, Monday, Jan. 15, at the Coeur d'Alene Inn and Cooierence Center (formerly the Holiday Inn) from 7:30 am. to 8:30 a.m.

"The Interfaith Breakfast brings people together for a moment of reflection and invites us to work in unity for the future in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Jeanne Givens, Task Force member.

The breakfast will feature Rabbi David Fmk and Rabbi Laura Rappaport from Boise and local ministers Mike Bullard and Grant McLean. The program also includes a recognition and celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Coeur d'Alene High School Human Equality Club.

Reservation deadline is Jan. 11.

The KCIFHR will conclude its events that evening with a gala celebration at the historic Clark

House Mansion on Hayden Lake.

The evening program will feature music by blues musicians Thom and Padma Rutley with guitarist Steve Brody, a silent auction, hors d'oeuvres and beverages. For fur. ther information and reservations for the Interfaith Breakfast and the Gala Reception, contact the Task Force at 664-6408.

Payne also encourages North

Idahoans to participate in the "Lights for Human Rights" campaign, sponsored by the Disability Action Center in association with the KCTFHR the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force and the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment People are asked to turn on their vehicle headlights from dawn to dusk on the King holiday.

A2 THE COEUR d'ALENE PRESS Friday, Jan. 5, 1996

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Rabbi Daniel Fink of Boise addresses an Interfaith breakfast Monday. At right Is Linda Payne, president of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

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Interfaith breakfast offers food for thought Kootenai County task force still has 'work cut out for us'

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By Rich Roesler Staff writer

COEUR d'ALENE - Breakfast, as the Rev. Grant McLean pointed out, is a good time to consider a dream.

That's what about 70 people did Monday at the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' interfaith breakfast at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

The dream: Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous vision that someday the world would be free of bigotry.

"We're all chiJdren of the dream, and we have our work cut out for us," said McLean, of Faith Presbyterian Church in Hayden.

Also Monday, the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force held an evening celebration of

King: Harmony may take a w hile Continued from A1 society can picture racial harmony doesn't mean it will be easy to build, she said.

"None of us may live long enough to see the puzzle completed," she said. "But if we put in place a few more pieces, we'll make it easier to see the whole picture."

Her husband, Rabbi Daniel Fink,

Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Organizers collected dozens of donated candles for a candlelight vigil.

"The idea was to have a bunch of different shapes, sizes and colors of candles," said organizer Marcy Peterson, an Americorps national service worker.

At the Coeur d'Alene breakfast, the Rev. Mike Bullard of Coeur d'Alene's First Presbyterian Church ; aid he believes King's dream slowly is becoming reality.

"Just a couple of centuries ago - and that's not a long time in world history - every place in the world, people owned people as slaves," Bullard said.

Bullard, a Florida native who is white, said he has watched the change in his own famiJy. As a boy, he said, he tried drinking from a

urged listeners to speak out and try to heal societal divisions. Jewish people must support American Indian, gay and lesbian struggles, he said. " Individually, we're all small," Fink said. " But together, we're large."

Similarly, he said, people must speak out against "the quiet complicity" of the neutral.

"Neutrality on human rights is not an option," he said. "Our obligation is to speak out for our rights - and those of our neighbors."

In Sandpoint, the keynote speaker was historian Arthur Hart.

"Everyone came here from some-

"colored" water fountain - he wanted to see if the water was different. He got in trouble.

When the government decreed that public schools would be integrated, Bullard said, his father piled the family into the car. The family drove through the black section of town. with Bullard's father ranting about how bad things were going to be.

Yet, when Bullard's father died, his casket was carried by his six best friends. Three were black.

"There was a huge change in his life," BulJard recalled. " I think that dream comes ever, ever closer."

Boise Rabbi Laura Rappaport compared King's dream to a jigsaw puzzle: Just because

where eJse, including the so-caUed Native Americans who came across the Bering Strait from Asia," Hart said last week in a telephone interview. "People came here from everywhere a.nd made a distinct contribution."

He said that in 1870, for example, there were more Chinese miners in Idaho than whites. Japanese workers helped build railroads in southern Idaho, and Chinese built much of the Northern Pacific Railroad that crosses the Panhandle.

In 1914, Idaho elected the nation's first Jewish governor, Moses Alexander. Alexander, a Democrat, served

Continued: Klng/A4

two terms.

In the past decade, North Idaho gained notoriety over the Hayden Lake Aryan Nations compound and miJitia groups. But Hart said there is nothing in Idaho's history to suggest that the state is inherently racist.

"I think we' re much more ethnically diverse than people realize," be said. "You only have to look in the phone book of any large Idaho town to see Vietnamese and Cambodian names.

"The United States has always operated on the motto 'e pluribus unum' ('out of many, one,')" said Hart. "We should continue that, instead of becoming Yugoslavia." ja

New law may defuse bomb threat m 0

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'There'sabsolutely no Idaho lawwhichprotects our citizens' from someonetransporting explosives

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By Winda Benedetti Staff writer

COEUR d'ALENE - Idaho Jaw has a loophole so large you could slip a van filled with explosives right through it.

The scenario: A man drives into a heavily populated section of Coeur d'Alene, his vehicle loaded with bombs.

Police catch the man before the bombs explode, but under state law. Kootenai County authorities can't do a thing about it.

Seem impossible'? lt isn¡1.

It already has happened.

"There's absolutely no Idaho law which protects our citizens from the possession or transportation of a device that is designed to cause death and destruction," said Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas.

Only federal officials law' can file criminal charges aiainst a person posThe proposed Idaho sessing or manufacturAnti-Bomb Act makes it a ing illegal explosives in felony to possess explosive 1daho. devices and bomb But Douglas and the components. The crime Kootenai County Task would be punishable by up Force on Human Relato five years in prison. tions plan to change that.

The bill also Increases the penalty for using a On Friday, the proposed Ida ho Antibomb or injuring a person Bomb Act, written by with a bomb - from 15 Douglas at the reque t years up to ltte. of the task force, goes before the state Senate's Judiciary and Rules Committee.

The bill. sponsored by Sen. Clyde Boatright, R-Rathdrum, would make 1t a state felony 10 possess bombs or bomb componentc;. People ,,..ith valid permits or those using explosives as part of a (ay,fol business would be exempt from prosecution.

"This really empowers local police and prosecutors to achieve speedy justice,'' Douglas said.

After several bombs rocked Coeur d'Alene in the mid1980s, members of the human riihts task force thought they had helped pass enough legislation to prevent such things.

Last month. they realized they had missed a vital area.

On Jan. 3, Kootenai County sheriffs deputies evacuated two homes after lhey found a bomb in a Coeur d'Alene man's truck. The bomb was made of black powder. duct tape, screws and nails.

The mco who had made 1l claimed they were going to use the device to blow up tree stumps. Federal prosecutors declined to pursue the case.

'Anti-bomb

Continued: Bomb law/A4

THE COEUR d'ALENE PRESS Tuesday, Feb. 20, 1996 AS

Bomb law: Better handled .

111 state courts Continued from A1

In lheir absence, Kootenai County authorities could do nothing. .. I think our local people need to he able to take action rather than wait for the federal government," said Linda Payne, president of the human rights task force. ") t is unconscionable that we do not have legislation preventing the makings of the type of bomb that destroyed the federal building in Oklahoma City.'

Federal officials are handed so many cases that they must pick and choose which ones they prosecute, said Bob Harper, agent in charge of the Bureau of AJcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Spokane. They look al the person's potential for violence and criminal background first.

But when it comes to smaller cases, Harper concedes, "A person may just walk free. There are cases that would be better handled in the state system than in the federal system.''

In October 1994, John Weldon Jr. arrived at the W. George Moody HeaJth Center in Coeur d'AJene with his van filled with weapons, ammunition and six bombs.

AJthough Weldon was arrested without incident, nearly 100 people in the surrounding area had to be evacuated as the Spokane bomb

squad worked into the night removing the explosives.

Because of the Idaho loophole, Kootenai County prosecutors were not able to file charges.

'Here we have a person in possession of enough explosives to virtually level that building and there is nothing we can arrest him on," Douglas said. "We were basically at the mercy of the federal investigation."

Weldon was sent to a mental hospital and was later given a ¡'conditional release," according to a police report.

In March, Weldon went to the Moody Health Center. There, a counselor saw what appeared to be lhe makings of a pipe bomb in a bag belonging to Weldon, according to police.

No federal charges were filed against Weldon until May 1995, when he was charged with possession of destructive devices.

Weldon, however, was later found incompetent to stand trial. He may soon be released from the mental hospital under close supervision, Douglas said.

The Weldon incident is the impetus for the Idaho explosives bill.

Although Douglas does not fault the U.S. attorney's office, he believes the proposed Idaho law would have prevented Weldon from escaping the charges. '¡Mental disease or defect is not a defense under state law, but it is in federal law, which is where it seems Mr. Weldon fell through the cracks," Douglas said. "It seems we would have been able to achieve justice much quicker."

North Idaho [I] Measure toughens , state explosives law COEUR d'ALENE - Tougher anti-bomb legislation for Idaho has been initiated by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

Drafted by Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas in cooperation with the Idaho Prosecutor's Association, Senate Bill 1442 would make it a felony to construct, possess or transport any explosive, chemical or incendiary device or bomb with the intent to cause injury or property damage.

Now, Idaho law applies only when explosives, chemicals or incendiary bombs are actually used in the commission of a crime, said Linda Payne, task force president.

"It is unconscionable that we do not have legislation preventing the making of the type of bomb that destroyed the federal building in Douglas Oklahoma City," said Tony Stewart, task force board member.

Federal laws prohibit such devices, but local and state authorities need U1e proposed law to enable them to act immediately in such matters, Stewart said.

The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee will accept testimony on the bill at a public bearing scheduled Friday.