Michael Bray

Michael Bray
Criminal charge conspiracy and possessing unregistered explosive devices in relation to 10 different bomb attacks
Criminal penalty 10 years
Criminal status served 46 months from 1985 to 1989; living in Wilmington, Ohio since December 2003
Spouse(s) 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]

Background

Michael Bray is a former Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy.[4] He was based in Bowie, Maryland, and now lives in Wilmington, Ohio, where he professes to be a member of the Army of God, considered a terrorist organization[5] by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Interviews

On April 15, 1999 Bray was interviewed by Dan Rather on 60 Minutes. He was referred to by Randall Terry as "whacked".[6] 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.

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ Stern, Jessica (2003). Terror in the name of God: why religious militants kill. New York: HarperCollins. p. 148. ISBN 0-06-050533-8. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "The MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base". Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  3. ↑ Johnston, David (August 4, 1994), "F.B.I. Undertakes Conspiracy Inquiry In Clinic Violence", New York Times
  4. ↑ Samuels, David (March 21, 1999), Archive of New York Times Magazine story about Bray "The Making of a Fugitive" Check |url= value (help), New York Times Magazine
  5. ↑ https://www.fbi.gov/libref/factsfigure/counterterrorism.htm
  6. ↑ "Right To Kill?". 60 Minutes. April 14, 1999.
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