Judge sets bail for adults arrested at NM compound

TAOS, N.M. — A state judge on Monday cleared the way for five defendants who were arrested on child abuse charges at a remote New Mexico compound to be released pending trial despite authorities’ suspicions that the group was training children to use firearms for an anti-government mission.

Judge Sarah Backus set a $20,000 bond for each defendant and ordered that the two men and three women wear ankle monitors, have weekly contact with their attorneys, not consume alcohol and have no firearms.

Police raided the property — a squalid makeshift living compound near the Colorado state line — more than a week ago in response a report of children living in filth, severe hunger and dangers including a leaky propone tank. Five adults were arrested and 11 children were placed in state custody.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj provided some of the children with firearms training — including tactical skills such as “speed loading” guns and firing while in motion. Aside from some rifles, handguns and ammunition, authorities say they found books on being effective in combat and building untraceable assault-style rifles.

Defense attorneys argued that prosecutors were unfairly painting their clients as armed militants as the rifles and handguns found on the property are common guns that can be bought at retail stores and their clients made no aggressive efforts to defend their compound as authorities closed in to serve search warrants earlier this month. “There was no gun battle, there was no resistance,” said Tom Clark, the attorney representing Siraj Ibn Wahhaj.

Clark said his client had permits to carry his weapons and no criminal record — accusing prosecutors of holding adults at the compound to an unusual standard because of their race and Muslim faith.

“They are black and they are Muslim,” Clark said. “If these were white people of Christian faith who owned guns, it’s not a big deal . ... But they look different and they worship different than the rest of us.”