STORY UPDATE: Militants in Oregon back down after flare up of fear over rumored raid

Fearing an impending police raid at an eastern Oregon wildlife refuge, Ammon Bundy and his militant followers have ramped up their rhetoric with physical displays of force and social media vows to defend their compound.

In online videos and tweets spanning from Tuesday evening through the night and into Wednesday morning, their comments turned away from what has been fairly restrained statements since they took over the refuge Saturday.

Videos showed heavy equipment moved into place to block the entry to the refuge headquarters, which is about 30 miles southeast of Burns.

The militants were under the impression warrants had been issued for occupiers' arrest, group members' language again became inflammatory.

Ammon Bundy, one of the leaders of the occupation, said Tuesday night that he had heard from "credible sources" quote that arrest warrants had been issued for him and that police were staging at the Burns school.

"I'm not scared. I'm concerned, as anyone would be," he said. "No one wants to have to stand against something that's wrong especially in this way."

In an unscheduled press appearance at the compound, occupier LaVoy Finicum, one of the group's more vocal members, appeared at the top of the main road entering the refuge headquarters, wielding a gun. He told reporters he believed arrest warrants had been issued against the militants.

Finicum pulled a chair out into the road, wielding his gun and eventually covering himself with a tarp, apparently waiting to meet authorities who never arrived.

The occupiers are expected to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Stay tuned for details.

-- Kelly House

khouse@oregonian.com

503-221-8178

@Kelly_M_House