MILITIA MEMBERS ON CAPITOL HILL

Federallaw enforcement officials are the real terrorists, militia leaders bluntly told a Senate paneltoday. Testifying before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee, leaders of militia groups from across the countrydenied that they are terrorists or racists. "We're just ordinary, law abiding citizens," said one, while another said militia groups are simply a "neighborhood watch." Law enforcement officials, who also testified, strongly disagreed,describing militiamen as "disturbing and dangerous aggressors." Senators were also skeptical. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said most militia groups share two fundamental beliefs: fear of government and "a deep strain of racism and anti-Semitism." Dressed in camouflage, former Michigan militia leader Nathan Olson had several testy exchanges with Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), at one point claiming the Senate represented corruption, and later saying that the federal government is too intrusive and "needs a good spanking to make it behave."