Nine members of the Michigan-based Hutaree militia, who plotted to kill police officers and establish their own country, were ordered to be put on house arrest until trial because prosecutors could not prove that they pose a threat. What?

Federal Judge Victoria A. Roberts said the militia members were to be confined to their homes under electronic monitoring, and denied them access to any weapons. This is one sign that the case against the Hutaree militia may not be very strong. The FBI agent in charge of the investigation, Leslie Larsen, may be blowing it, too. From a report in the Times:

Judge Roberts and the defendants' lawyers expressed frustration that Ms. Larsen was unable to answer most questions she was asked, generally saying that she needed to review her notes or that she had not read many of the reports her colleagues had prepared about the group.

The judge said that "the offenses charged against these defendants may not be as serious as the government contends." The Hutaree members are charged with seditious conspiracy and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, after they planned to murder a police officer and ambush the funeral procession with roadside bombs. But pose a threat? No way! They were just joking around.

[Image via Getty]