Members of antigovernment extremist group squatting ‘off grid’ at Arkansas camp arrested

Little Rock, Arkansas – After erecting an “off-grid” camp on land they did not own in north Arkansas, several members with self-professed identities that connected them to an extreme antigovernment organization were taken into custody on Thursday.

Shane Russell, the sheriff for Sharp County, claims that two unidentified individuals moved an enclosed trailer and an RV onto a site on Highway 56 outside of Evening Shade in August, prompting the opening of an inquiry.

Russell reported that deputies made several attempts to deliver eviction papers and threats to vacate the land to individuals claiming to be part of the Moorish National Republic, a sovereign citizen group.

According to Russell, members of the group—which the Southern Poverty Law Center labels as extremist and claims has members who have participated in violent altercations with law enforcement—provided fictitious legal documents asserting that the area was sovereign property and that they could not be compelled to leave.

According to officials, since their arrival last summer, the people have constructed a permanent building on the land, dug a septic tank, put in solar panels, and started storing a lot of water.

Russell claimed the individuals declined to identify themselves until they were placed under arrest without incident. The sheriff, however, stated he thinks detectives have found out who they are and will not reveal their identities until the investigation is complete.

The sheriff stated in a news release that one of the male subjects did identify himself as Saleem Yosiyah IsraEl.

According to Russell, several automobiles on the premises had fictitious license plates connected to the Moorish National Republic.

Additionally, he said that several findings provide proof of crimes involving transactions around the US that looked like internet and postal scams. It was alleged that envelopes containing thousands of Iraqi dinar had been discovered.

The FBI and the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office are reportedly in communication over the forged documents and other cybercrimes.

“As I have promised, it is my goal as the Sharp County Sheriff to stop any crime being committed,” Russell wrote. “In this case, domestic terrorism was prevented by the Sheriff’s Office and the other assisting agencies.”