First volunteers for citizen border militia to be inducted Saturday

By Ignacio Ibarra © 2002 Arizona Daily Star

The leader of Tombstone's citizens militia says the organization intends to conduct its operations on public lands, have members apply to carry concealed weapons and will patrol routes leading to water stations established by humanitarian groups.

"We're stepping on to public lands, and I dare the government to come and arrest 50 people," said Chris Simcox, owner of the Tombstone Tumbleweed, and organizer of a citizens militia he now calls the Civil Homeland Defense Force.

Simcox said the adjustment in patrol strategy was forced by the "tremendous pressure" from the media and government officials that caused property owners to back away from cooperation with his organization.

Despite the growing pressure, Simcox said he intends to "keep the flame burning on high until the federal government puts troops on the border."

On Saturday the first 50 of more than 600 volunteers will be inducted and begin a course of training that includes qualification for a state issued concealed weapons permit, he said.

"We're going to use the government to screen our volunteers. Everyone who comes will have to get a concealed weapons permit and will have to go through that screening . . . a felony background check and an FBI check," Simcox said.

The initial strategy will be to conduct patrols in the areas where humanitarian water stations and beacons have been established by groups hoping to aid illegal border crossers on their dangerous journey.

Illegal border crossers whom the militia encounters would be placed under citizen's arrest and turned over to the Border Patrol.