I-Team: Rise Of The Moors Co-Founder Was U.S. Marine

BOSTON (CBS) - Holding a high powered rifle and bragging about his arsenal on his YouTube channel - Jamhal Latimer, also known as Jamhal Talib Abdullah Bey, the self-proclaimed leader of the Rise of the Moors- suggested he would shoot an FBI agent, telling viewers, "If the FBI tries to do an illegal search or neutralize me while I'm at home," Latimer then racks his gun. "We got slugs."

Kenneth Gray is a former FBI special agent and a senior lecturer in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of New Haven. "Cults take on a paranoid idea about their groups, that they are going to be raided that they are going to be attacked," Gray said. "And take up a defensive posture with weapons training and that comes into direct conflict with law enforcement and results in those getting arrested."

Early Saturday morning, Latimer and 10 other heavily armed suspects said they were on their way to a training camp in Maine. They were arrested after holding police at bay for more than seven hours Saturday on I-95 in Wakefield.

Latimer livestreamed the event on Instagram, telling his followers, he reassured the police that they were going to be peaceful.

The I-Team has learned Latimer got his weapons training with the U.S. Marines. He served from 2010-2014 and attained the rank of sergeant. Latimer earned several medals including the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal as well as a medal for good conduct. He was never deployed overseas.

Gray said, "Any group that may be engaged in criminal activity shows up on the FBI radar screen."

The Rise of the Moors is one of several sovereign citizen groups who claim they are not U.S. citizens and are immune from its laws. Still, the group used the courts to claim an abandoned home in Pawtucket as their headquarters. And on its website the group says it would claim other buildings for Moorish families and businesses.

It has also filed suit against the Providence Police for violating their rights during a lecture at their temple. Experts on extremists say that is common practice for all sovereign citizen groups.

"Not paying taxes," Gray said. "Seizing properties and claiming that it's their properties, tying people up in general with false legal suits."

The I-Team asked the U.S. Marines about Latimer's discharge status, asking if he received a general, honorable or dishonorable discharge. We were told it does not release that information.