Outrage: Judge orders bond for suspects in the New Mexico compound case.

The site of the compound in Amalia, New Mexico. ABC News/AP

A judge has ordered the suspects in the New Mexico compound case who were accused of kidnapping a child, child abuse and plotting school shootings, will been released on bond. ABC News. The five suspects were released on a $20,000 bond  and will be required to wear ankle bracelets. The local sheriff and the FBI agent assigned to the case both strongly disagreed with the ruling but the judge said that they had not made their case that there was an immediate threat. 

My Comment:

Before we get into this I do want to share some very good reporting from an NBC reporter that was allowed onto the compound by the owners of the land this compound was on. The report shows the compound and how dangerous these people were and why they shouldn't have been out let out on bail. For those who can't or won't watch the video it shows horrible standards of cleanliness, empty ammo boxes and pistol cases, what appears to be trenches and fighting positions and a secret escape tunnel. 

I'm completely disgusted by this ruling. I do have to say that one of the suspects in this case, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, is being held for extradition for the kidnapping charge so at least he won't be out on the streets. Since he was the apparent ringleader of this plot that might help things a little bit, but it's clear that the rest of them are dangerous as well. 

Worse still, I have heard that this was a "signature" bond, which means they didn't have to put up any of the $20,000 and are only liable for it if they skip out. Though these people are dangerous enough that I doubt money is a motivating factor anyways, it is still an outrage that they got let out for essentially nothing. 

There is a chance that the remaining suspects, especially the male one, Lucas Mortan, could escape justice or, even worse, commit an attack. The plans have been disrupted by the fact that their guns and ammo were confiscated and they no longer have their child soldiers but I fear that it's very likely that they had other supply caches out there or that police missed something in the compound. Since more weapons were found at the compound by the property owners after police had left, that seems very possible to me. 

Keep in mind how dangerous this situation is. These people stand accused of kidnapping a child and a dead body of a child was found at this compound. It's not clear if it's the same child that was kidnapped and if that child died of neglect or violence, but either way they were definitely involved in a situation where a child died. That alone makes me think that they should not have been let out on bond so cheaply without putting up collateral, but it goes far beyond that. 

They have also been accused of training children for use in terror attacks at schools. And many schools across the country have begun classes already. And the main suspect is related to an un-indicted co-conspirator to the original World Trade Center bombings. And even ignoring all that they were abusing those children and keeping them in deplorable conditions. They should not be out in the general public. Letting them out puts everyone else at risk. 

I do have to say that if something does happen the blood will be on the hands of this judge. I am hoping like hell that local and federal authorities will be watching these suspects like a hawk until trail or that arrests for more crimes will be made, but I have little confidence that they will have the resources to do so and even if they do they could make a mistake. And if they do, I won't be blaming them, I will be blaming the judge that let these people out on bond.