Ammon Bundy Confronted by Reporter on Terrorism Allegations: ‘How Do You Respond?’

Ammon Bundy, center, one of the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, walks off after speaking with reporters during a news conference at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, near Burns, Ore. Bundy, who was involved in a 2014 standoff with the government over grazing rights told reporters on Monday that two local ranchers who face long prison sentences for setting fire to land have been treated unfairly. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

A CNN reporter confronted Ammon Bundy over allegations from some members of the public that he and his group are terrorists.

Bundy, the son of noted rancher Cliven Bundy, took over a federal building in Oregon recently to protest the extension of prison terms for two ranchers. Bundy and his group are armed and have threatened to fight back if they are attacked by federal authorities.

A CNN reporter approached Bundy on Monday night and asked him about people saying his group is committing terrorism.

“There’s been a lot of social media discussion about what you all are doing out here,” the reporter said. “They’ve used words like ‘Ya’ll Qaeda‘ and ’Vanilla ISIS.' And while they sound like funny names, they are basically calling you terrorists. How do you respond to these kinds of accusations?”

 

Bundy responded.

“Well I would just encourage--well, one, I think that is the minority. But I would encourage people to look into what is really happening and find out who is truly doing the terrorizing,” he said.

“Who has been taking ranches? This refuge alone, over 100 ranches have been taken so they can make this refuge.”

Meanwhile, the ranchers who the group said they were standing up for turned themselves in to serve their newly extended prison sentences.