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Mountaineer Militia: Men indicted in bomb plot

The Times West Virginian/November 8, 1996
By Jennifer Davis

Seven men were indicted Friday by a federal grand jury in Wheeling in connection with an alleged plot by the Mountaineer Militia to blow up the FBI fingerprint center in Clarksburg.

Militia leader Floyd Raymond Looker, 56, of Stonewood, was indicted on charges he sold a packet of information -- including blueprints of the fingerprint center -- to an undercover FBI agent posing as a broker for a Middle East terrorist organization.

Looker was arrested Oct. 11 after the alleged sale of the blueprint photographs for $50,000.

Looker was also indicted on one count of conspiracy to transport explosive materials and unregistered firearms across state lines, four counts of transporting explosive materials in interstate commerce, three counts of transporting unregistered firearms from Ohio to West Virginia, one count of causing C-4 explosives to be transported in interstate commerce, one count of transporting three unregistered high-explosive grenades in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to provide material support and resources to be used in preparation for bombing the FBI center and one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license.

James "Rich" Rogers, a lieutenant with the Clarksburg Fire Department, is charged with photographing and duplicating FBI blueprints -- which were on file at the fire department for emergency purposes -- to the Mountaineer Militia for use in the alleged bomb plot.

Rogers, 40, of Jane Lew, is said to have been the Harrison County militia commander. He is also charged with one count of conspiracy for helping Looker obtain the documents.

Jack A. Phillips, 57, of 712 Lemley St., Fairmont, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license.

Terrell P. Coon, 49, of Waynesburg, Pa., was indicted on one count of causing C-4, TNT and other explosive materials to be transported in interstate commerce. He was also indicted on two counts of causing unregistered firearms and components of a destructive device to be transported in interstate commerce.

James M. Jonnson, 48, of Maple Heights, Ohio, and Imam A. Lewis, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio, were indicted on one count of conspiracy to transport explosive materials and unregistered firearms in interstate commerce, two counts of transporting explosive materials in interstate commerce and two counts of transporting unregistered firearms from Ohio to West Virginia.

Johnson was also indicted on one count of transporting explosive materials in interstate commerce and one count of transporting an unregistered destructive device from Ohio to West Virginia.

Edward F. Moore, 52, of Lavalette, W.Va., was indicted on one count of engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm.

If convicted, each defendant faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each conspiracy charge and up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the remaining charges.

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