Franklin Graham answered FBI's call to save lives, he testifies during Oregon standoff trial

The Rev. Franklin Graham testified Thursday that he flew his own plane from North Carolina to Oregon in February to try to save lives, concerned about the four holdouts occupying a federal wildlife sanctuary as well as the FBI agents attempting to get them to surrender. With no formal training, Graham said he relied on God as he accepted the FBI's request late on Feb. 10 for him to get to the refuge immediately to assist them. By then, he had been speaking to the holdouts at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge encampment daily, after first being called by the FBI to help intercede on Jan. 28. The prominent evangelist, and son of the Rev. Billy Graham, played a key role in negotiating the end of the 41-day standoff. He is president of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Federal agents ferried Graham in a federal armored vehicle to an access road overlooking the encampment and gave him a loudspeaker. Through sagebrush, he could see the top of the vehicle and tent where the four were huddled, he said. "Guys I'm here. This is Franklin Graham," he said he began. "Listen to what the FBI is going to say to you. It's time to leave."...more