Arms cache found, man held

Associated Press

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Authorities found a cache of bombs and more than 12,000 rounds of ammunition they believe belonged to a survivalist group. They arrested one man and were seeking another.

Also found inside five campers parked in a rural area of western Illinois were bomb-making instruction manuals, black powder, electronic arming devices and a small amount of ammonium nitrate.

Sheriff Paul Petty said investigators found maps with marks on certain areas. Petty would not say which areas were marked, but said investigators do not suspect the group, which calls itself the United Survivalists of America, had plans to attack or bomb anything.

"We believe the site was their compound, or gathering point. We think they were using this property as a command center."

Petty said investigators believe the group was small and had been unsuccessful in getting others to join.

Petty said the man arrested in Pike County was charged with unlawful use of a weapon. He remained in jail Thursday after being ordered held on $50,000 bail, Petty said. He would not identify the suspect.

"We don’t want any of his associates to hear about this before we have the opportunity to locate them," he said.

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