er a traffic stop about a half-mile away from their property, said Columbia County Chief Deputy Michael Babcock. They were held on charges of filing false documents, in which they filed liens against about 25 county officials.

Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen said the couple has each been charged with five felony counts of criminal slander of title for filing phony liens against individuals and public officials in Columbia County. Each count is punishable by six years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

According to the Department of Justice complaint, between 2003 and 2006, the Sundsmos submitted liens to the Columbia County Register of Deeds against employees of the Bank of Poynette, which was foreclosing on their property; former Columbia County Sheriff Steven Rowe; the district attorney who prosecuted Lilac Sundsmo, 56, in two criminal cases; and the judge who presided over those criminal cases.

The liens alleged they owed the Sundsmos anywhere from $300,000 to $2.1 million for use the Sundsmos' names in documents without their permission. The complaint alleges that none of the victims gave consent or authorized the filing of the liens.

"Filing phony liens is illegal in Wisconsin," Van Hollen said. "The Wisconsin Department of Justice is empowered to enforce the law in such matters on behalf of Wisconsin citizens."

The couple has claimed in court documents that the laws of the U.S. and the state of Wisconsin don't apply to them.

State court records also show Lester and Lilac Sundsmo were sued by the state Department of Revenue for failure to pay state taxes in 2004. Lester Sundsmo, 64, has convictions for traffic offenses and resisting an officer, the records indicate.

Their mortgage was foreclosed on for failure to pay property taxes in October 2006. An eviction notice against the Sundsmos had been filed Feb. 2, but they hadn't moved, officials said. In court documents, the Sundsmos maintained that they did not have to pay taxes because they had given or sold the property to a church called Heavenly Mission. They claimed the church was tax exempt.

Lorri Frisch, the couple's daughter, said while the Sundsmos support common-law beliefs, they have no connection to the Posse Comitatus, a loosely organized national group that opposes the U.S. government. Some media reports earlier Wednesday mentioned a potential link.

Babcock confirmed that agents believe there is no link.

"We understood that their personal beliefs are not consistent with our current government," Babock said. "They certainly question the legality and constitutionality of our legislature and government processes."

After the arrest, Highway 16 between Rio and Wyocena — which runs through the property — was closed. Agencies at the scene include the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation; the Columbia, Dane and Sauk sheriff's departments.

At around noon, bomb disposal personnel were heading toward the house on Highway 16. It is unclear what they are looking for.

Frisch said there is nothing at the home that would warrant such a large amount of law enforcement being there. (This is a standard response both in strength and scope to those who actively take part in asserting their rights, by using the law. I have seen it up close, first hand myself, and the states response is always the same. They lie and falsify, routinely, to sway public opinion in their favor, so that come jury selection time, potential jurors are selected based on predisposed indications that they have been reading all pertinent mainstream-media salted-content connected to the case, are convinced that the defendants are already guilty, and have one hand on the switch, even before the trial has started.)

Babock said a large amount of agents were involved Wednesday morning because there were concerns other people might be in the full-size log cabin house on the 40-acre property. He also said authorities had information that the Sundsmos were dangerous and had weapons on their property. He said a tunnel was discovered running from the main house on the property to an outbuilding. (Complete bullshit. . . but the public will buy it, hook line and sinker.)

The highway was to reopen at about 2:30, Babcock said.

The Sundsmos are being held at the Columbia County Jail.

Wisconsin State Journal and Portage Daily Register staffers contributed to this report.