Colorado First Light Infantry
Colorado First Light Infantry
The Colorado First Light Infantry was an anti-militia group in the U.S. that only consisted of three members. Although this homegrown terrorist group was small and short-lived, it served as a precursor to another larger organization that would be formed. The Colorado First Light Infantry was founded by Ronald David Cole after the events of the Waco siege in Texas in 1993. Cole was at the time a member of the Branch Davidians and ended up writing a pro-Branch Davidians book Sinister Twilight, where he declared that his task was to complete the mission David Koresh failed to fulfill. In 1994, he met with the notorious domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh prior to the Oklahoma City bombing (Brennan 1995). In 1997 at McVeigh's trial, Cole handed out leaflets demanding fair treatment for McVeigh, as well as news releases for the North American Liberation Army, which he had also founded. He also spoke to the media about alleged harassment of paramilitary group members by law enforcement.
Also in 1994, Cole was involved in a violent incident at the site of the destroyed Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. A standoff occurred between self-proclaimed leaders of the remnants of the sect over who had control of the property. Cole and a former Davidian Wally Kennett were accompanying Andrew Hood, a man who some Davidians had sought out for leadership. Their party became embroiled in an argument with Amo Bishop Roden, the wife of former Davidian leader George Roden; she then fired a warning shot into the air. Roden was charged with felony deadly conduct, and Kennett and Cole were charged with weapons violations (Verhovek 1994). On May 2, 1997, Kevin Terry, Ronald David Cole, and Wallace Stanley Kennett--members of the Colorado First Light Infantry militia--were arrested by federal agents and local officers in response to criminal warrant alleging they possessed a pipe bomb in their rental house in Aurora, Colorado. A subsequent search
The Colorado First Light Infantry was an anti-militia group in the U.S. that only consisted of three members. Although this homegrown terrorist group was small and short-lived, it served as a precursor to another larger organization that would be formed. The Colorado First Light Infantry was founded by Ronald David Cole after the events of the Waco siege in Texas in 1993. Cole was at the time a member of the Branch Davidians and ended up writing a pro-Branch Davidians book Sinister Twilight, where he declared that his task was to complete the mission David Koresh failed to fulfill. In 1994, he met with the notorious domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh prior to the Oklahoma City bombing (Brennan 1995). In 1997 at McVeigh's trial, Cole handed out leaflets demanding fair treatment for McVeigh, as well as news releases for the North American Liberation Army, which he had also founded. He also spoke to the media about alleged harassment of paramilitary group members by law enforcement.
Also in 1994, Cole was involved in a violent incident at the site of the destroyed Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. A standoff occurred between self-proclaimed leaders of the remnants of the sect over who had control of the property. Cole and a former Davidian Wally Kennett were accompanying Andrew Hood, a man who some Davidians had sought out for leadership. Their party became embroiled in an argument with Amo Bishop Roden, the wife of former Davidian leader George Roden; she then fired a warning shot into the air. Roden was charged with felony deadly conduct, and Kennett and Cole were charged with weapons violations (Verhovek 1994). On May 2, 1997, Kevin Terry, Ronald David Cole, and Wallace Stanley Kennett--members of the Colorado First Light Infantry militia--were arrested by federal agents and local officers in response to criminal warrant alleging they possessed a pipe bomb in their rental house in Aurora, Colorado. A subsequent search
Cited: Affidavit in Support of Warrant. Outpost of Freedom. Retrieved April 16, 2008, from http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/rcaffid.htm Brennan, Charlie.(1995, April 30). McVeigh Crossed Paths with Colo. Militia Member. Rocky Mountain News. U.S. Dept of Justice. Terrorism in the United States1998: Counterterrorism Threat Assessment and Warning Unit, National Security Division. Retrieved April 19,2008, from http://www.fbi.gov/publications/terror/terror98.pdf. Verhovek, Sam. (1994, December 6). A Fight in Texas for the Homeland of a Sect. New York Times.