Thirteen people, including seven men associated with the Wolverine Watchmen militia group, have been arrested in a sweeping takedown of plots to kidnap the Michigan governor, attack the state capitol building and incite violence.

The group aimed to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who has traded barbs with Republican President Donald Trump over her response to the coronavirus pandemic, ahead of the Nov 3 presidential election, according to a criminal complaint.

At one point, the alleged plotters discussed recruiting a force of 200 to storm the state capital in Lansing and take hostages, but later abandoned the plan in favour of surveilling and kidnapping Whitmer at her vacation home, the complaint said...