3 Convicted of Supporting Terrorists in Whitmer Kidnap Plot

A trial in what the Detroit News calls the "largest domestic terrorism case in a generation" in Michigan has ended with three convictions. Joe Morrison, 28; his father-in-law Pete Musico, 44; and Paul Bellar, 24, were found guilty Wednesday of providing "material support to a terrorist" among other charges in the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The men face sentences of up to 22 years; they will be sentenced Dec. 15. Prosecutors argued the three either founded or joined the Wolverine Watchmen militia early on, and that the militia helped train convicted plot leader Adam Fox in everything from operation security to medical and firearms training.

"These three defendants had been pushing toward violence for months," Assistant Attorney General Sunita Doddamani said. "Even if they weren’t going to do an act of terrorism themselves, they were more than happy and willing to help someone else." Defense attorneys countered that the trio had broken off with Fox by late summer 2020, when the Whitmer plot began to formulate, reports the AP. None were among the group that headed to northern Michigan to do reconnaissance on the governor’s vacation home, nor did they take part in a key weekend training session inside a "shoot house." Fourteen men were arrested in connection with the plot in October 2020; Fox was convicted in August along with Barry Croft Jr. (More Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot stories.)