Abbreviation A.O.G. | Website www.armyofgod.com | |
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Type Christian terrorist organization (anti-abortion violence) | ||
Army of God (AOG) is a Christian terrorist organization that has engaged in the use of anti-abortion violence in the United States to fight against abortion. According to the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security's joint Terrorism Knowledge Base, the Army of God is an underground terrorist organization active in the United States formed in 1982. In addition to numerous property crimes, the group has committed acts of kidnapping, attempted murder, and murder. While sharing a common ideology and tactics, members claim to rarely communicate; the organization forbids those who wish to "take action against baby killing abortionists" from discussing their plans with anyone in advance.
Contents
Actions
The earliest documented incidence of the Army of God being involved with anti-abortion activity occurred in 1982. Three men stating that they were the "army of god" kidnapped Hector Zevallos, a doctor who performed abortions, and his wife, Rosalee Jean, and held them hostage. The hostages were later released unharmed after eight days. The "East Coast division" of the AOG claimed responsibility when three men, including Michael Bray, planted bombs at seven abortion clinics in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. in 1985.
In 1993, Shelly Shannon, a very active member of the Army of God, was found guilty of the attempted murder of Dr. George Tiller. That same year, law enforcement officials found the Army of God Manual, a tactical guide to arson, chemical attacks, invasions and bombings buried in Shelly Shannon's backyard. Paul Jennings Hill was found guilty of the murder of both Dr. John Britton and clinic escort James Barrett. The AOG claimed responsibility for Eric Robert Rudolph's 1997 nail bombing of abortion clinics in Atlanta and Birmingham as well as an Atlanta lesbian bar.
Clayton Waagner, claiming to act on the part of the "Virginia Dare Chapter" of the AOG, mailed over 500 letters containing white powder to 280 abortion providers in 2001. The letters claimed that the powder was anthrax. Though it was not identified as such, the tactic took advantage of the public's fear of biological warfare after the recent real anthrax attacks.
The group is also associated with a number of other abortion clinic bombings, arsons and murders of abortion providers. Some of those responsible claimed association with the AOG; in other cases, while the killers expressed no affiliation with the group, the AOG has endorsed their acts and taken up their cause, stating that any action which prevents abortion is justified. Hill was head of a precursor organization called Defensive Action, which issued signed statements to members of Congress in the early 1990s expressing similar sentiments about "killing the killers".
Documentary
The AOG movement, along with select followers, are featured in the HBO documentary film Soldiers in the Army of God (2000), directed by Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson, as part of HBO's America Undercover series.
Associated individuals
A 2011 NPR report claimed that an associate of this group, Stephen John Jordi, was imprisoned in a highly restrictive Communication Management Unit.