Editor's note: This story contains offensive language. After this story was published, David Fry deleted some of his offensive posts on social media and said they "were just a joke."
Among the militant members who have accessed government computers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, one is an Islamic State sympathizer and Adolph Hitler acolyte.
While militant leader Ammon Bundy has repeatedly denied government computers were being used by militants, OPB has again confirmed that Department of Interior computers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge are being accessed, and in this instance, being used to make a website for the occupation.
One of the militants occupying the refuge posted video of himself using the computer.
Occupier David Fry said he drove from Ohio – through a blinding winter storm – to help Bundy and his supporters.
The website he created contains video and audio of Fry at the refuge, as well as a “List of Serious Injustice” and a link to buy fellow militant LaVoy Finicum’s mystery novel.
Fry tells OPB he knew the militants who have occupied the refuge “were pretty good people.”
“It was (a) miracle, that I got here,” Fry said Tuesday. “I’ve had quarrels with the government myself, and I feel there has to be some point where people have to put their foot down against the problems.”
Fry didn’t say when he arrived, but he’s set up shop in a building the militants want to turn into a media center, according to Finicum. Fry said he knows “a little bit” about computers.
“I’m just here to document what’s going on (at the compound),” Fry said.
Fry’s Google+ account shows the Ohio man regularly posts anti-Semitic, homophobic, and pro-Nazi propaganda on social media.
Fry also posts in support of ISIS.
“ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS FOR ISIS TO NUKE ISRAELHELL!” he wrote on the site Nov. 30.
When asked to explain his feelings about Israel and ISIS, Fry spoke at length of government conspiracies, plots against multiple countries, Sept. 11, court records, computer viruses on Japanese computers, Fukushima and a Jewish conspiracy against the free world that involves causing nuclear meltdowns.
“One week before Fukushima happened, an Israeli security team installing security equipment was there at Fukushima,” Fry said.
He went on to tell OPB that he got the government computers running using flash drives with Linux on them.
“I am using any computer I can use,” Fry said. “Their data is perfectly preserved … you can’t access any of that, it’s got encryption on it.”
Though the occupation at the refuge has dragged on for more the a week, federal officials have been reluctant to take action against the armed men. FBI officials have said they're monitoring the situation.
Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, Finicum said the group will announce their exit strategy Friday. However, it's unlikely that the group's stated goals of turning over federal land to local control and freeing two local ranchers from prison will be accomplished by the end of the week.
Fry, like other militants, said he’s frustrated with the government.
“If you talk to a lot of the people here, everybody’s got their reason to be here, everybody’s got their quarrels with the government,” Fry said. “I see this as a good stand for America. These are really good people out here.”
Copyright 2016 Oregon Public Broadcasting
