FBI Nabs Eight On Gun Charges 



Monday, July 29, 1996 3:49 pm EDT 





BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) -- Eight people, including four alleged members

of the Washington State Militia, were being held today on explosives and

firearms charges after a series of weekend arrests, authorities said. 



But the FBI today would not elaborate on the reasons behind the roundup,

except to say the arrests were not related to Saturday's bombing at

Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. 



FBI agent Burdena Pasenelli said there was "enough interest to law

enforcement it was necessary for us to respond and take these people off

the street." 



On Sunday, Pasenelli announced the arrests of nine people, but he said

today that eight had been charged. Charlie Mandigo, assistant special

agent in charge of the Seattle FBI office, said the ninth person was

arrested on a Seattle misdemeanor warrant, unrelated to the explosives

investigation.



Those charged were identified as William Smith, about 60, Seattle; John

Irvin Pitner, 45, Deming; Judith Carol Kirk, 54, Seattle; John Loyd

Kirk, 56, Seattle; Richard Frank Burton Jr., 38, Seattle; Frederick

Benjamin Fisher, 61, Bellingham; Gary Marvin Kuehnoel, 48, Bellingham;

and Marlin Lane Mack, 24, Bellingham. 



All are charged with conspiracy to make and possess explosive devices.

Kirks, Burton, Kuehnoel and Mack are accused of making and possessing

explosive devices, and Kuehnoel is charged with transfer and possession

of a machine gun. 



Five of the group were arrested Saturday in Bellingham, about 80 miles

north of Seattle, while participating in a class on how to use

explosives, authorities said. 



Pitner was arrested at his home in Deming by FBI agents posing as real

estate agents, according to his wife, Deborah. 



Pitner, Mack, Kuehnoel and Fisher were members of an antigovernment

group known as the Washington State Militia, authorities said. 



Pitner's daughter, Rachel, told KOMO-TV in Seattle that she asked her

father, "How can they take you away? You've been praised as (having) one

of the mellowest movements in the area."



KIRO-TV reported that two houses in the Seattle area were searched as

part of the investigation. 



There have been four bombings since April 1 in Spokane, at the far

eastern end of the state. Authorities said today they still were

investigating whether any of the eight could have been involved in any

of them. 



No one was injured in any of the Spokane bombings. Two pipe bombs

exploded at a newspaper office and a bank April 1, and the bank also was

robbed. On April 29, a pipe bomb packed with 3-inch nails exploded at

Spokane City Hall. On July 12, there was a pipe bombing at a Planned

Parenthood clinic and another bank robbery. 



(c) Copyright 1996 The Associated Press