In federal court in Minneapolis, David Guy McKay, 22, and Bradley Neal Crowder, 23, were each charged with one count of possession of firearms, the U.S. attorney's office in Minnesota said. The two are accused of manufacturing eight gasoline-and-oil-filled bottles that they were planning to ignite and toss at law enforcement vehicles, the affidavit said.
McKay is quoted in the affidavit as saying "it's worth it if an officer gets burned or maimed."
The U.S. attorney's office says the men were members of an organization called the Austin Affinity Group, which the FBI has been investigating since February 2007.
If convicted, McKay and Crowder could face up to 10 years in prison. Crowder is identified in the affidavit as the group's leader, and McKay is named as a member.
The affidavit said that eight members of the group left Austin on Aug. 28 in a rented van and trailer that was hauling 35 "shields" made out of traffic barrels with protruding screws. An informant told investigators that the group was planning to use the "shields" to attack police officers, the affidavit said.
The group went to a Wal-Mart on Aug. 31 and bought a two-gallon gas can, motor oil, rubber bands, ear plugs, bolt cutters and protective gear, the affidavit said.
On Monday, an informant told law enforcement officials that the items were being stored in a St. Paul, Minn., apartment where the two suspects were staying, the affidavit said. The apartment was being leased by a person affiliated with the group. Law enforcement officials saw Crowder and McKay coming and going from the building, the affidavit said.
The Republican National Convention was Monday through Thursday in St. Paul, Minn.
McKay and Crowder were arrested Monday by the St. Paul police on disorderly conduct charges, the affidavit said. At that time, McKay was released; Crowder remained in custody.
Later that day, McKay told another informant that he was having a falling out with the group and that he and some other members were planning some type of activity he described as "red actions" for Tuesday.
McKay then told the first informant that he and Crowder had made several Molotov cocktails and that they intended to throw them at a parking lot near the apartment that was patrolled by police, military and U.S. Secret Service officers, the affidavit said.
On Wednesday, St. Paul police raided the apartment. They found eight "fully assembled Molotov cocktails," the affidavit said.
On Thursday, McKay told investigators that he and Crowder assembled the explosives to "get back" at "someone or something," the affidavit said.
McKay is now also in custody, and a preliminary hearing for both men has been set for Tuesday in a Minneapolis federal court.
Sgt. Richard Stresing, a spokesman for Austin police, said he had no information about the arrest or the group. Public record searches turned up no criminal records for the two men.
Michael Plaster of Austin said his son interned last year with McKay at a local video production company. Plaster said his son, also named Michael Plaster, was in New Mexico but e-mailed him Friday about McKay. "He said he was pretty shocked to hear about him," Plaster said. "He said he had heard the name Austin Affinity from them (McKay and Crowder) but didn't know what it was about."
Plaster said that he had met McKay through his son and that he "seemed like a good kid."
U.S. attorney's office spokesman David Anderson said another man, Matthew DePalma, was arrested in Minneapolis this week, accused of possessing Molotov cocktails to use against law enforcement. He is not connected with the Austin men, Anderson said.
Additional material from staff writers Claire Osborn and Miguel Liscano.
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