Watch CBS News

Outbursts, Interruptions Slow Arraignments For 'Rise Of The Moors' Suspects In I-95 Standoff

WAKEFIELD (CBS) – The suspects in a standoff with Massachusetts State police that shut down Interstate 95 for hours on Saturday in Wakefield appeared in court on Tuesday. The men claim to be part of a group called "Rise of the Moors."

Outbursts, interruptions, and a show of defiance slowed the proceedings significantly.

The 11 heavily armed men were arrested Saturday after the standoff. The following suspects have been identified:

  • 29-year-old Jahmal Tavon Sanders Latimer (also known as Jahmal Talib Abdullay Bey) of Providence, R.I.
  • 21-year-old Robert Rodriguez of Bronx, N.Y.
  • 23-year-old Wilfredo Hernandez (also known as Will Musa) of Bronx, N.Y.
  • 27-year-old Alban El Curraugh of Bronx, N.Y.
  • 29-year-old Aaron Lamont Johnson (also know as Tarrif Sharif Bey) of Detroit, Michigan
  • 40-year-old Quinn Cumberlander of Pawtucket, R.I.
  • 34-year-old Lamar Dow of Bronx, N.Y.
  • 29-year-old Conrad Pierre of Baldwin, N.Y.

One of the suspects is 17 years old and two others refused to identify themselves. Among the charges for all 11 suspects are unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

All of the men remain in custody and most have a detention hearing at the end of the week.

Two of the 10 will be held without bail despite not being arraigned. One would not identify himself and the other did not cooperate in court and continued to speak over the judge.

Members of the group said they were traveling from Rhode Island to Maine for "training."

Police said none of the men has licenses for the guns they were holding.

Most defendants told the judge they were foreign nationals and that they would represent themselves in court. There were multiple recesses after the defendants told the judge she was violating the Constitution.

MOORS ARRAINGMENT NOON 130PM PART 2 20210706
One of the I-95 standoff suspects refused to identify themselves in court on Tuesday (WBZ-TV)

One defendant asked if the self-professed group leader, Latimer, could represent him as his lawyer. The judge did not allow it since Latimer is not a licensed lawyer in the state.

After going back and forth with Latimer during his arraignment, the judge did not accept that he was waiving his right to a lawyer. At this point, there was an outburst in the courtroom and the court zoom feed erupted with people shouting "treason."

snapshot - 2021-07-06T151539
 Jahmal Tavon Sanders Latimer appears before a judge (WBZ-TV)

There was a large presence of state police at the court all day.

The Rise of the Moors argues they have not broken any laws.

"No one was injured, no one's property has been damaged, so there is no problem because you, by law in the Constitution, have the right to uphold your second amendment right and that's to bear arms," a supporter said outside court.

The Southern Poverty Law Center said the group is one of 25 anti-government groups.

"They claim that there was a treaty signed between the United States and Morocco in the 1780s that gives them the right to claim this autonomy and sovereignty," said Margaret Huang, president and CEO for Southern Poverty Law Center. "They don't believe that they are citizens of the United States, they don't pay taxes, they don't seek driver's licenses."

No one was injured during the lengthy Wakefield standoff.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.