Michael Bray
| Michael Bray | |
|---|---|
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| Charge(s) | conspiracy and possessing unregistered explosive devices in relation to 10 different bomb attacks |
| Penalty | 10 years |
| Status | served 46 months from 1985 to 1989; living in Wilmington, Ohio since December 2003 |
| Spouse | Jayne Bray (1976 - present) |
| Children | 11 |
Rev. Michael Bray is an American minister who was convicted in 1985 of two counts of conspiracy and one count of possessing unregistered explosive devices in relation to ten bombings of women's health clinics and offices of liberal advocacy groups in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. He is considered "the intellectual father of the extreme radical fringe of the antiabortion movement which engages in terrorism."[1] Initially sentenced to ten years in prison, he agreed to a plea bargain and served 46 months from 1985 to 1989.
He and his wife, Jayne, are named defendants in the Supreme Court decision Bray v. Alexandria. He is considered to be a terrorist by the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism.[2]
In 1994 the F.B.I. suspected that he and other anti-abortion figures might be developing "a conspiracy that endeavors to achieve political or social change through activities that involve force or violence", as stated in a confidential Teletype message sent to all 56 F.B.I. field offices.[3]
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[edit] Background
Michael Bray is a former Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy.[4] He was formerly based in Bowie, Maryland, and now lives in Wilmington, Ohio, where he professes to be a member of the terrorist organization[5] Army of God.
[edit] Interviews
On April 15, 1999 Bray was interviewed by Dan Rather on 60 Minutes. He was referred to by Randall Terry as "whacked".[citation needed] Bray continues to speak out in support of people who kill abortion doctors, including Paul Jennings Hill and James Charles Kopp. Bray was interviewed by Richard Dawkins for The Root of All Evil? He was also interviewed for the film Religulous by Bill Maher, and appears in the deleted scenes on the DVD release.
[edit] Interview with Richard Dawkins
When asked "did it not occur to you that that doctor had a wife to grieve for him", Bray replied by confirming Dawkins' accusation, that he did believe that Paul Jennings Hill was in heaven.[clarification needed]
Dawkins was able to obtain the original tapes of the interviews he did for the "Root of All Evil". He has published them in a three-DVD set. The one with Michael Bray was conducted in a park in Colorado. Bray said that he (and those who were his followers by inference) believed the Bible to be the inerrant word of God. He said he believes homosexuality and adultery, if proven in a court with the usual protections of law, should carry a death sentence.
[edit] Bibliography
- Bray, Michael (1994), A TIME TO KILL: A Study Concerning the Use of Force and Abortion, Portland, Oregon: Advocates for Life Publications
[edit] References
- ^ Stern, Jessica (2003). Terror in the name of God: why religious militants kill. New York: HarperCollins. pp. 148. ISBN 0060505338. http://books.google.com/books?id=13iAVXvu6jQC&lpg=PA148&dq=michael%20bray%20terrorist&pg=PA148#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ The MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base
- ^ Johnston, David (August 4, 1994), "F.B.I. Undertakes Conspiracy Inquiry In Clinic Violence", New York Times, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DEFD71231F937A3575BC0A962958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print
- ^ Samuels, David (March 21, 1999), Archive of New York Times Magazine story about Bray "The Making of a Fugitive", New York Times Magazine, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06EFD8103EF932A15750C0A96F958260&scp=21&sq=%22michael+bray%22&st=nyt Archive of New York Times Magazine story about Bray
- ^ http://www.fbi.gov/libref/factsfigure/counterterrorism.htm
