CHICAGO – A blogger accused of threatening the lives of three Chicago-based federal judges by saying they "deserve to be killed" has been ordered held without bond.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin Ashman says Hal Turner of North Bergen, New Jersey, is too great a danger to the community to be released on bail.
Prosecutors did acknowledge that Turner has been an FBI informant, paid by the government to spy on radical right-wing organizations. They say he told federal marshals about a man's threat to disrupt a Chicago rally following President Barack Obama's election.
Turner's comments on his blog about the judges came over their ruling on a lawsuit challenging ordinances banning handguns. Turner's attorneys say he merely gave his opinion, which was protected free speech.
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