Michael W. Ryan (born 3 August 1948) was an American white supremacist, and murderer. Ryan was the leader of a small, anti-government and group that occupied a compound near Rulo, Nebraska, in the early 1980s. Ryan and his group of followers had loose ties to Posse Comitatus, and links to the Christian Identity movement. Ryan's teachings included the supremacy of the white race, the inherent evil of Jews (antisemitism) and a distrust of all established earthly authority, including governments. Ryan and his followers carried out months of burglary, under cover of night. Reselling the items obtained by theft, they supported the activities of the group and built up weapons and supplies they believed would be needed for the imminent battle of Armageddon, which they assumed would occur in the f