On February 13, the trial of seven Americans suspected of belonging to an armed Christian extremist group will begin in Michigan. reports Associated Press .

The parties will make opening statements in court on Monday.

According to the police, the accused, who belonged to the Hutaree group, intended to stage a rebellion against the federal authorities. In particular, according to the prosecution, they wanted to kill a policeman and organize a terrorist attack at his funeral.

In March 2010, charges were brought against nine suspects. As explained in the Detroit Free Press, one of them, 29-year-old Joshua J. Clough, made a plea deal. He admitted using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. Another suspect, Jacob Ward, was found unfit to stand trial due to mental impairment.

The leader of the group, based in Michigan, was 47-year-old David Stone. The group members staged military exercises in the forest. They found a large number of firearms (mostly purchased legally). An agent of the authorities managed to record their conversations; these recordings are the main evidence in the case. The defense is trying to prove that there were only isolated critical statements against the government, for which the defendants cannot be punished.

Trial of Christian militants to begin in US