SWAT takes on "sovereign citizens," or "militia-styled revolutionaries" in training exercise

Amid the explosions, smoke, roaring vehicles and chattering gunfire of a terrorist attack Thursday afternoon at Port Everglades, one fact became chillingly clear: These weren't foreign-born America-hating terrorists. These were native-born America-hating terrorists. And they were making things difficult for the good guys. "They're moving, they're taking positions, they have superior firepower," said Sheriff's Deputy Richard Saito. "They're clearly very well-trained, very well-motivated." Of course it wasn't a real terrorist attack, but rather a large-scale SWAT training exercise mounted by the Broward Sheriff's Office involving boats, bus, bombs and booby-trapped hostages... In Saito's plot, seven "sovereign citizens," or militia-styled revolutionaries who advocate the government's overthrow, assault the port by boat. Their goal: steal a shipment of arms and ammunition transiting through the facility. Initially thwarted by deputies, the terrorists seize hostages, wound a deputy, and leave a backpack full of explosives by Terminal 22. Then things get serious. The terrorists strap bombs to the hostages, take over a bus, and engage in a full-blown gunfight with SWAT team members. The bad guys use paintball guns. The helmeted, body-armor-clad SWAT team responds with simulated ammo. "It's all about being prepared," said SWAT chief Capt. Eddie Grant.