Military-Grade Arsenal Found In Bloomington Home

[bofe954]

First post in L&P. Here is an article for you guys. I'll post a follow up article too, and a couple other local news stations articles. I don't know anything about the guy, I guess he could actually be a bomb manufacturer or something who knows...He hasn't been charged with anything yet, but I think is pretty much painted as a wacko by our local media.

Picture a story about you and your house...



http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_057174123.html

clock Feb 26, 2007 10:49 pm US/Central
Military-Grade Arsenal Found In Bloomington Home

(WCCO) Bloomington, Minn. Police found a number of military-grade weapons at a home in Bloomington, Minn.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was called in to a home on the 1700 block of 84th Street West to retrieve the weapons. They are also receiving assistance from the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Bloomington Police Bomb Squad.

Authorities found detonation cords, blasting caps and some type of military explosive, as well as about a dozen semiautomatic weapons and ammunition.

"It's merely precautionary at this time," said Bloomington Police Commander Kevin Hinrichs. "It is a fairly dangerous situation, but we have a good handle on it. And at this time there doesn't appear to be any danger of any explosions."

Five nearby homes have been evacuated. Some neighbors said the man living in the home searched has been living there for some time and was "a gun enthusiast" and an avid collector.

"They are good neighbors. We shoveled their driveway," said neighbor Nettie Beckler. "I guess I am in shock by all this."

The man who lives at the house regularly attends gun and knife shows, often selling knives and military clothing, according to Jim Wright, owner of Crocodile Productions Inc., which stages many of the shows. He described the man as "aboveboard" in his dealings.

"I'd be shocked if he did anything illegal," Wright said.

The homeowner was taken into custody by Hennepin County authorities on probable cause of possessing explosive devices.

Some of the items retrieved from the house have been referred to as military materials. Authorities have called Army officials from Wisconsin to the scene.

 

[plexreticle]

So how did they find the stuff? They serving warrents on gun collectors now?

What's a "military grade" weapon? I think of machine guns but no mention of that in the story.

 

[bofe954]

a little follow up...

Explosives case expands with munitions discovery
Wednesday February 28, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Military-grade ammunition was found at a south Minneapolis building linked to a man jailed the day before on suspicion of having military explosives at his home, authorities said.

The home in the 5200 block of 47th Avenue South was searched as a result of leads developed a day earlier in the search of a house in Bloomington. The findings at the Minneapolis building were not as worrisome as the discoveries in Bloomington, Deputy Chief Rob Allen said.

In Monday's raid, authorities found material that could be used to make a bomb. One person was arrested.

No one was immediately arrested in Tuesday's search, authorities said. The building houses a convenience store, a massage center, a hair salon run by the wife of the man arrested Monday and a second-floor apartment.

Allen said the man who was arrested Monday described by one acquaintance as a gun-show regular stored items on the property. Tenants said he was also the building's repairman.

 

[hagar]

Oh, it went from military grade explosives to military grade ammunition? Heck, I have about 9,998 of those myself. Bomb making materials? If you have bleach, ammonia, brake fluid and swimming pool chlorine in your garage, you too own a bomb making factory. This guy is getting railroaded big time.

 

[bill in IN]

That could be the case with many farmers I know- and Uncle Sam sells military grade Garands, '03's and ammunition. Makes you wonder about the possibility of a "seige mentality".

 

[bofe954]

I am not sure what he did to have a warrant served. The weapons were all semiauto. I don't think anybody (least of all the reporters) are sure what "military grade" means.

The other story mentions "military grade" ammo.

The problem seems to be more with his blasting caps, fuse etc than the weapons. I think that they just happened to be there and make for interesting news.

Here's another local TV station's take- they mention his name and show a photo of him. He hasn't been charged with anything as far as I can tell.

Honestly I think the thing is pretty scary. I just started reloading and have powder, primer etc. I'd hate to have my neighbors evacuated and be on EVERY local 5:00 and 10:00 news station for nothing.



http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/s33271.shtml

Neighbors stunned after Bloomington raid

"It's shocking, somewhat upsetting," said neighbor Jason Manning. He added that he's never worried about letting his 7-year-old son play alone outside in the area.

The man removed from the home has Terry Lee Dahlen, 60. He is in police custody.

Second home searched in connection to Monday's raid

Neighbors were stunned after authorities raided a Bloomington home on Monday, seizing bomb-making materials.

Homes in the area of W. 84th St. and Knox Ave. S. are roped off and residents are still waiting to go back inside after they were evacuated during the Monday raid. A number of emergency vehicles showed up in the neighborhood as 'a precaution' Tuesday afternoon.

The man removed from the home has been identified as Terry Lee Dahlen, 60. He is in police custody.

"It's shocking, somewhat upsetting," said neighbor Jason Manning. He added that he's never worried about letting his 7-year-old son play alone outside in the area.

Inside the home, officials found detonation cords, blasting caps, military explosives, and semi-automatic weapons.

Five nearby homes were evacuated, though authorities said there appeared to be no threat of an explosion. Those families will not be allowed back into their homes until authorities finish searching Dahlen's home.

 

[jfh]

I'd meant to get this story going here--

but then I got distracted. Thanks, bofe954.

This is a really puzzling story

First I saw of it was off a Yahoo link to WCCO on-line news, Monday night. The attribution was, IIRC, to MSNBC, and full of inferences about finding a dozen semiautomatics and explosives. I sent WCCO an e-mail asking that they get a local reporter on it immediately, since the antigun history of their source was well known. (No reply, of course.)

Then I couldn't find it at all Tuesday--and I was astounded that the StarTribune hadn't picked it up and run with it hard.

Last night, a good friend called and asked me about it--it apparently was on the FOX9 9pm news. I checked around--WCCO had no story on it, but late last night, the StarTribune finally had a longer article on it, covering the "local" angle of a 2nd building in Minneapolis.

Lo-and-behold, I consider the StarTribune story half-well-balanced. It was NOT played up as a big deal. I'm still stuck as what happened in the first place to get the raid--and I think the Bloomington Police processed this from a more-or-less antigun perspective.

I even wonder if a neighborhood kid saw this guy loading guns / product to take to a gun show--and freaked. So, in come the police--and they see a grenade, or cord, or something. It doesn't sound like what was owned and on site in Bloomington was illegal--

I gotta wonder if they found a grenade paperweight or bookend in the guy's office and overreacted.

Jim H.

 

[bofe954]

I believe it was some kind of overreaction. My guess is that now that the flashing lights and bomb squads have left the area the newsies are realizing that there is no story.

The guy may or may not have done anything illegal, and since it is no longer being reported I am guessing he didn't do anything.

My question is this...How many of us could this story have been written about? How would you feel coming home after the proverbial smoke has cleared and have to deal with your firearm ignorant neighbors giving you the evil eye because of the "military grade" ammo and stuff you have in your house?

How would your employer and coworkers feel after seeing you in the news?

How would you feel at work?

Who knows, the guy may be a total wacko and may have been threatening people or something, but what if an angry ex called the ATF about you?

 

[michael_aos]

 

[Autolycus]

From original article posted in Post 1:
Five nearby homes have been evacuated. Some neighbors said the man living in the home searched has been living there for some time and was "a gun enthusiast" and an avid collector.

What is with the quotations around the words gun enthusiast? Are they trying to intentionally attach some sort of doubt or stigma to being a gun enthusiast?

 

[Master Blaster]

SO if he didnt make any boms or commit any crimes and everything he had was legal, no arrest???

***.

I understand Eric Harris and Dillon Klebold tried to blow up Columbine with bombs made out of propane cylinders. So if you own a gas grill and have two propane cylinders are those potential bomb making materials???

Are we living in the Minority Report now???

 

[RavenVT100]

Some people don't think it's culturally acceptable to be a gun enthusiast or to collect guns.

Remember it's the media reporting on all of this. The police may not care at all about what guns the guy has and are only doing this because of the explosives. Powder for reloading (other than black) isn't an explosive and is also possessed for an explainable purpose. Let's say this person had large quantities of explosive. Why would he have something like that? Does he blow up tree stumps or something similar?

Without some kind of context it's hard to make heads or tails of the article.

Does anyone here know what kind of laws the guy in the article would be breaking if he had real "military" explosives?

 

[.cheese.]

I was thinking of getting a 40mm grenade launcher and paying the tax stamp for it.

I think I'll pass. I don't need to be plastered on the news.

 

[bofe954]

I'll post updates if I see any. Last I heard, no charges. One article had said that some of the stuff he had required permits, some didn't. No word whether he had permits.

My interest in it is more the social implications than legal I guess. If he wasn't doing anything wrong I am sure he won't be charged with anything. But he was spotlighted in a huge way and will have to live with the consequences of that whether he is ever charged or not.

Raven-

Without some kind of context it's hard to make heads or tails of the article.

I agree totally, the real story should read-
Man's house raided on suspicion of posession of explosive devices. No charges yet, period.

Economist- If you are serious, that is what I am talking about, I am looking in my safe and thinking "what would this look like on TV?" I am trying to get into 3 gun and have been pondering a AR10 for heavy metal (so I don't bang up the M1A) and a different AR upper and a semi auto shotgun so I can shoot tactical if I want to shoot cheaper ammo. Should I? I'll have an aresenal and could wind up with the ATF at my house and my neighbors evacuated if I am somehow searched. Are you now making choices based on social conditions vs. legal?

I have a few pistols I don't shoot much but keep for collector's sake, should I get rid of them so I have a less news worthy gun count if it gets reported?

 

[Duncan223]

The guy that was arrested had det cord, blasting caps, etc., but it didn't say if he was a demolition guy, was permitted to have such items, etc. Moreover, is unlawful possession of such items a misdemeanor or felony?

With regard to the arsenal of ammunition and military grade weapons..... CMP Garands are military grade, and they are provided by the friggin' government. Does this mean that all of us with a C&R, with all those so-called military grade weapons, are going to need to worry about being arrested?

 

[.cheese.]

bofe954 - I was indeed serious. Was thinking of getting a grenade launcher to mount on my AR15 just for the fun of it. Of course, to set anything off with it would require supervision of the ATF (at least to my understanding) and anything that goes in it would require an additional tax-stamp, so it was just a consideration, but not one that I would probably end up doing.

Still though, no need to have anything that would get me on the news. I suppose my defense of "I just bought it for fun and enthusiast-value." won't fly. Even if I bought it legally, that doesn't mean the media won't ruin my life over it.

 

[Libertylover]

Oh boo friggin hoo. All this "should I sell off some of my guns so the neighbors won't be mean to me" is chidish crap, and whats more, plays RIGHT into the anti-liberty, socialist agenda that seems to be gripping this country.

I had a neighbor give me crap one time when I was talking guns with another neighbor who's also a shooter. She was like "What do you need a GUN for?" when I said I was looking at getting an AK. Now, this woman is a retired Army nurse, so you'd think she'd be used to the damn things. I simply replied "Because I can." She gave me crap about shooting the pellet gun in my back yard, too. Just as soon as I can find a definition of "firearm" in my state, the pellet gun is going to become MIGHTY busy.

For each push by these nanny-staters, we need to shove them back and get in their faces with our RIGHTS!

And no, getting rid of some of your guns because the neighbors might not approve is NOT the answer, unless perhaps your neighbors are all big-bore recoil junkies who might make fun of your fondness for .22's...

 

[Can'thavenuthingood]

I'm thinking they got nothing on him, it was a fishing exercise.
If they did the police would be all over the camera's talking about saving the city from certain destruction.
And uncovering a terrist plot and actually naming the bomb making materials if not identified as common household materials.

Minneapolis has a Criminal Apprehension Department?
Then this guy was a criminal before his home was raided?
What were the reasons for the raid then?
If he was a criminal, how was he allowed to have weapons?

I think its just one at a time they are coming to get the obvious standouts and work their way down the list to the old guy with a Daisy Red Ryder.

Intimidation.
No point in getting that controversial accessory or component even though its legal. Don't want to scare the neighbors and befuddle the news crew.

Maybe the potential was there for too big of a carbon footprint.

Vick

 

[1KPerDay]

as well as about a dozen semiautomatic weapons and ammunition.

Call out the National Guard!!!

 

[F4GIB]

Heard from a reliable source.

The "explosives" were legal, the toys and inert items were legal, the FMJ ammo is legal, the firearms were legal.

The only question concerns the silencers he lawfully acquired while he was an FFL holder (presenting a novel legal question under unclear Minnesota law).

Apparently they knew that he'd sold Unintended Consequences from his gun show table and that he'd once bought the Randy weaver biography at a gun show. Years ago. So is ATF now responsible for registering our reading matter???

The newly-elected Democrat county attorney is seeking publicity.

 

[RavenVT100]

Um, then what initiated the search? What caused the police to come to his house in the first place?

That still makes no sense.

 

[skinnyguy]

Oh this is just great,

I have a 9mm pistol (police/military caliber), a Remington 700 .270 (sniper rifle), about 50 rounds for the rifle and 200 +/- for the pistol, ANOTHER 9mm on the way- a Ruger p89 (police service weapon), and a glenfield 60 on the way (semi-auto 18 shots, run squirrel run!!)

But i'm in REAL trouble because of the gasoline and Dawn diswashing liquid I have- NAPALM!!! somebody throw me UNDER the jail!!!!!!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:​

 

[bofe954]

Truthfully it won't change what I buy. Locally we have had a few high profile "these weapons are only for killing" stories run lately and I am wondering if it is some kind of media blitz in preparation of an AWB.

It was just one of those things that you see and you wonder if it could happen to you and how it would play out.

Were the silencers real or "gunshow" silencers?

 

[loxety]

"Five nearby homes were evacuated, though authorities said there appeared to be no threat of an explosion. Those families will not be allowed back into their homes until authorities finish searching Dahlen's home." - http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/s33271.shtml


I would be pissed if I was forced to leave my home when the "authorities" knew there was "no threat of an explosion"!

 

[Neo-Luddite]

'Military Grade' is newspeak directly from George Soros, R. Peters and Co. It means whatever they say it means.

I have an old duffel bag--it's military grade.
A dozen pairs of boots--all military grade.
I've got an old brass bugle....you get the idea.

I loved the old Army-Navy store when I was a kid---I still do.

The press are like Vultures when they smell the decay of someone else's 'kill'.
I'd love to hear the complete story.