White supremacist reacts to ATF raid

WARSAW, Ind. (WANE) - ATF agents have been tight-lipped about the reason they raided the Warsaw home of local white supremacist Tom Metzger; but Metzger had plenty to say to NewsChannel 15 about the incident.

Agents with The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives searched Metzger's home early Thursday. Friday, he spoke exclusively to NewsChannel 15 about what happened.

"Very little catches me by surprise," said Metzger.

As cars gathered outside his home in Warsaw, Metzger says he knew something was up.

"A fellow said, we're here to do a search warrant."

The ATF isn't saying what was in that search warrant, but we do know they spent several hours inside Metzger's home.

Metzger and his wife were allowed to leave during the search and return when it was done.

He tells NewsChannel 15 agents seized CD's, tapes, address books and his computers.

"I live that kind of a life," explained Metzger. "I expect at anytime of the day to have the door kicked in, cause we're living in a country like that."

Because of the controversial life Metzger's lived, this is not the first time something like this has happened.

He's been involved with the white supremacist movement for more than 30 years. He's served as a former leader of the KKK, and was also the founder of neo-Nazi group the "White Aryan Resistance."

Metzger says, "I've been through this before. What they're looking for is something to connect you to something else."

Metzger believes that something else is a case from Illinois. On Thursday, Metzger's friends Dennis and Danny Mahon were arrested in that case on a number of weapons charges and the bombing of an Arizona diversity office back in 2004.

"We've been friends for years so they probably really want to look at my stuff and see whether we were conspiring," he told NewsChannel 15.

Metzger was not arrested.

The search warrant and other documents relating to the raid have been sealed.

Click on the video tab to the left to watch an extended clip of Metzger's interview.