Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

THE ORDER • 505armored trucks. A series of successful operations culminated in the 19July 1984 holdup of a Brinks armored car outside Ukiah, California,netting around $3.6 million, the largest heist of a Brinks transport untilthen. The Order had also embarked on a scheme of assassinating thosewhom it believed to be influential within the ZOG. They had considered,but dismissed, the idea of conducting a suicide bombing attackto kill the Baron de Rothschild, who was to visit Seattle, and settledinstead on killing a controversial and acerbic Jewish radio talk-showhost in Denver, Alan Berg, who had insulted white supremacists onhis program. Berg was murdered by The Order at his home on 18 June1984. Other activities of The Order included a robbery on 16 March1984 of a Continental armored car in Seattle, another Continentalarmored car robbery coupled with the diversionary bombing of a pornographicfilm theater in Seattle on 23 April 1984, and the bombing ofthe Ahavath Israel synagogue in Boise, Idaho, on 29 April 1984.Robert Mathews was killed in a shoot-out with agents of the FederalBureau of Investigation (FBI) on Whidbey Island in WashingtonState on 8 December 1984. Ten of the remaining members of TheOrder were eventually arrested, and tried and convicted in the SeattleU.S. District Court on Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization(RICO) and conspiracy charges arising from the robberies.Three members of The Order were also tried and convicted on civilrights violation charges connected with the murder of Alan Berg.While evidence from this trial clearly connected The Order with theAryan Nations and other white supremacist groups, a subsequent trialof 14 leaders of these other white supremacist groups on sedition andconspiracy charges before a federal court in Fort Smith, Arkansas,held February–April 1988 failed to obtain any convictions.The Order did not totally perish with Mathews, for a successororganization, the Bruder Schweigen Strike Force II, emerged amongAryan Nations members in Hayden Lake, Idaho, whose memberswere involved in counterfeiting and six bombings during 1987. On 6May 1987 and 7 August 1987, they bombed two businesses and laterthat August murdered Kenneth Shray, whom they suspected of beinga federal informant. On 16 September 1987 they bombed the home ofFr. William Wassmuth of St. Pius X Catholic Church, who had beenactive in opposing the Aryan Nations and kindred racist groups. On29 September 1987 they set off four bombs in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho,including the federal building and three businesses, to divert attention