3 GA Men Hoped To Start Race War, Overthrow Government: FBI

GEORGIA — Three Georgia men are being held on charges that they were involved in a white supremacist group with plans to overthrow the government and murder a Bartow County couple. Authorities claimed in court documents that the trio are white supremacists who wanted to start a race war. (Read the 20-page affidavit embedded at the bottom of this story.)

The men are reportedly members of The Base, which is described in arrest affidavits as a racially motivated, violent extremist group that sought to “accelerate the downfall of the United States government, incite a race war and establish a white ethno-state.”

The group was involved in recruiting new members online, meeting to discuss strategy and practicing in paramilitary training camps on a 100-acre tract in north Georgia.

Other arrests have been made across the country, but based on the investigation by Floyd County Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation the training camp and leadership was based at a home in Silver Creek, Georgia.

Luke Austin Lane, 21, was arrested near his home on Wednesday and is being held at the Floyd County Jail pending charges of conspiracy to commit murder and participation in the criminal gang known as “The Base.” Lane was denied bond on Thursday.

Two others from Georgia include: Michael John Helterbrand, 25, from Dalton, and Jacob Kaderli, 19, of Dacula, were also arrested in different locations. Kaderli is being held in Floyd County and Helterbrand was expected to transfer there Friday. They have also being charged with conspiracy to commit murder and participation in a criminal street gang, Floyd County officials said in a news release.

Three other alleged members of The Base were arrested Thursday in Delaware and Maryland on firearms and immigration-related offenses, the FBI said. The men were believed to have been planning to attend a pro-gun rally in Richmond, Virginia, on Monday that's expected to draw a crowd of extremists, CNN reported, citing a law enforcement official.

The Atlanta office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the bulk of the preliminary investigation and assisted local authorities with follow-up investigations.

Floyd County White Supremacist Suspects Indicted by Deb Eatock Belt on Scribd