From Southern Poverty Law Center

April 16, 2010

Dear Dee,
 
Monday marks the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing — a terrorist attack by a racist, antigovernment fanatic that left 168 men, women and children dead. An MSNBC special hosted by Rachel Maddow about the tragedy features extensive interviews with my colleague Mark Potok. I hope you'll watch it, because I'm afraid that history may be repeating itself.

"The McVeigh Tapes: Confessions of an American Terrorist" Monday, April 19 / 9 PM ET on MSNBC

We recently released a report showing an astonishing 244 percent increase in anti-government extremist groups — the kind of groups that spawned the likes of Timothy McVeigh 15 years ago. Already, we're seeing eruptions of right-wing violence. Just last month, for example, nine members of the Hutaree Militia — one of the groups we're tracking — were indicted for plotting to kill hundreds of police officers.

Shortly before the Oklahoma City bombing, we sent a letter to the U.S. attorney general warning that the growing antigovernment militia movement posed an imminent threat to the public. With your help, we're again alerting the law enforcement community to the danger posed by the rebirth of this same movement.

Sincerely, J. Richard Cohen President, Southern Poverty Law Center