1994 Interview with Ed Brown: Defense Militia Builds NH Base

By SHAWNE K. WICKHAM
New Hampshire Sunday News
Jan. 23, 2007

PLAINFIELD - Edward L. Brown, 52, is a consultant in the extermination business by trade. But the menace he is trying to warn people about these days is of the human variety.

Brown is the spokesman for the Constitution Defense Militia, one of numerous ''unorganized'' citizen militia groups forming around the country in response to what they say is a well-orchestrated and far-reaching conspiracy to deprive Americans of their liberty and even lives.

The New Hampshire Libertarian party will hold a special panel analysis on citizen militias at its annual convention in Merrimack on Oct. 15.

Brown can name names of conspirators - Bill Clinton, George Bush, Janet Reno, Mikhail Gorbachev - and of organizations - The Council on Foreign Relations, the United Nations, the Tri-Lateral Commission, the American Bar Association, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the CIA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

He contends the deaths of religious cult members in Switzerland and Canada last week were ''another WACO,'' orchestrated by the CIA. And he believes even the baseball strike was part of a plot to squash anything American.

Brown likens the times we are living in to the years in Europe before World War II. He has 18 months worth of food stored in his basement, and a stockpile of weapons and ammunition. He believes something will trigger a federal takeover of private property, utilities, health facilities and the media, and said the most likely scenario is an economic collapse.

Brown estimated there are five million militia members across the country; in this state, there are 3,000 CDM members, men and women from all walks of life who are ''on standby to lock and load 24 hours a day right now.''

Brown warns there is a second Revolutionary War approaching. But he says this time the citizen patriots have AK-47s.

Brown, who says he is an agnostic, admits it's easy to dismiss him as a nut. He knows that's how the FBI, the Department of Defense and other federal agencies he calls regularly have him pegged.

He contends there are 130 detention centers set up around the country, including one at the former Pease Air Force Base, ready to imprison people like him who resist the government.

Gun control is at the center of the enemies' plan, he explained. He predicts ''blood in the streets'' if the government tries to confiscate guns here.

''There's two freight trains coming down the track full steam ahead. True American citizens like myself will die for my country. We will never release any firearms to the United States.''

An ad in the October 1994 issue of ''Soldier of Fortune magazine'' warns, ''It's Groundhog Day! For those of us living under the shadow of gun control...Hide your weapons WHILE YOU CAN!'' The ''Groundhog,'' an underground storage container big enough for four AR15's, two AK-47s and 2300 rounds of ammunition, costs $94.95.

Brown said the militia is setting up ''Constitutional courts'' in numerous states, including here in New Hampshire, ''for the purpose of taking back America.''

Who will be tried? ''Anybody who commits un-American activity. Anybody who has created insurrection or sedition or conspiracy against the American people.'' And what will the penalty be? ''Whatever the people decide.''

Brown only became involved in the CDM 11 months ago. But ever since he has been unable to enjoy the things he used to, like golfing and fishing.

Brown believes the conspiracy is world-wide; references to a ''New World Order'' set off alarms in militia members. He thinks a confrontation is ''imminent'' and he believes the year 2000 has special significance for ''the bad guys.''

''From now on, as an American citizen under my Constitution, nobody but nobody is going to come into my country and take it down. Nobody's going to destroy that Constitution. And the enemy is within.''

He said the militia has declared New Hampshire a ''free zone,'' neutral territory in which the federal government has no authority. ''All we're looking for is as many people get warned as possible, to protect as many lives as we can before this thing goes down.''

''Freedom is not free. Thomas Jefferson told us every 20 years a little patriot blood must be shed to kill some of the tyrants and keep them in line. We have not done this since the Civil War.''

Brown said he sees no way the conflict will end except in violence. ''Because these people will not quit. The window of oppportunity for them as it approaches is closing because people like me are rising. And the hope is we can open our window more than theirs, so we can swallow them before they swallow us.''