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John Daley ReportingPolice say they carefully picked victims for brutal beatings. Today, Utahns are charged with hate crimes.
Timothy J. Fuhrman, Special Agent in Charge, Salt Lake City FBI: "The acts alleged in this indictment were senseless. Individuals were assaulted merely because of the color of their skin or ethnic background."
The indictment brings federal charges against three white supremacists for targeting and attacking "non whites" in what authorities call a conspiracy to instill fear. One of the three indicted is the group's national leader, now charged with breaking federal civil rights laws.
The charges come in connection with what prosecutors believe are race-based attacks in Salt Lake City. Prosecutors say there were two attacks, one happened at a downtown bar. In both, they say, the goal of the alleged attackers was striking fear in "non-whites" here in Salt Lake City.
The website of the group the National Alliance spells out its goals, which include a "White Living Space," an "Aryan Society" and "racial survival."
In 2004 the group sparked controversy with a billboard in Salt Lake, saying it aims to "secure the cuture for European Americans." At the time, the man in charge of its Salt Lake office told us they're just advocates.
Travis D. Massey, Sept. 2004: "For the best interest of European Americans. We're not a hate group. We're not a white supremacist group. We're simply looking out for the best interests of white Americans."
But federal prosecutors say it is a hate group, and today they charged three of its members in two separate race-based assaults. Indicted are 38-year-old Shaun A. Walker of Hillsboro West Virginia, chairman of the National Alliance and the man we interviewed, 29-year-old Travis Massey, along with Eric G. Egbert, aged 21, both of Salt Lake City.
One attack happened at the downtown bar O'Shucks New Year's Eve 2002. Prosecutors say the three conspired to threaten and intimidate "non-whites", provoking a fight with a Mexican-American man who they later assaulted and injured.
In the second attack in March of '03, prosecutors say Massey and another unnamed person threatened and assaulted a Native American man outside the bar Port O'Call.
The three pleaded not guilty in court today. Egbert's wife says the men are innocent.
Wife of Eric G. Egbert: "I have nothing to say except that they have the wrong people."
Federal authorities say the civil rights charges are based, in part, on statements made at the time of the attacks.
Carlos Esqueda, Asst. U.S. Attorney: "It's significant because it sends a message out there that we're not going to stop. We realize that this is an on-going problem and we'll attack the problem when it arises."
The National Alliance was once considered the nation's most dangerous white supremacist group. Now, because these are federal civil rights charges, the penalty is much higher than an ordinary assault. The potential penalty is up to 10 years in prison for each of three counts.
