Prosecutors announced charges Tuesday against a Minnesota man they say wrote a how-to manifesto urging Americans to try to kill federal judges.

Robert Ivers, 72, had at least two particular judges in mind, according to the FBI, which said he vowed to one of them in the manifesto that he would “kill your kids, your family, your friends.” He even included a “Notice of Assassination” naming several judges.

“At a time when Minnesota is reeling from acts of violence, the last thing we need is someone spreading fear into our churches, libraries and courts,” said Joseph H. Thompson, the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota. “Ivers’ threats are bone-chilling.  After the past few months, we are not taking chances. When someone threatens our community, we believe them, and we will act swiftly to protect Minnesotans.”

The case comes at a time when federal judges say they’re seeing an increase in threats, which they have tied to legal battles involving President Trump.

Mr. Ivers’ situation appears to be separate from that.

Indeed, he was convicted in 2019 of threatening to kill U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright, who presided over a lawsuit Mr. Ivers filed in 2015. He also repeatedly threatened parole officers after his release from his initial prison sentence, federal authorities said.

The FBI, in court documents, said Mr. Ivers’ chief target this time was a judge who presided over that 2019 trial. Court documents show U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt, based in Iowa, was brought in to handle the case.

Mr. Ivers’ manifesto is punctuated with dark drawings of figures with misshapen faces and teeth. Over one drawing, a face with devil’s horns, he wrote: “When I show how easy it is to kill others will follow and the killing will never end.”

Next to another face with devil’s horns, he wrote: “When Mr. Ivers publishes this book the demons of the earth are going to go on a killing spree.” Some of the pages were dated, showing years of work.

Investigators were alerted to the new manifesto after Mr. Ivers printed copies at a public library in Wayzata, Minnesota, on Sept. 2. He left behind a three-page flyer advertising his manifesto, promising to “teach extremists on how to plan, train, hunt, stalk and kill anyone including judges, their family members, politicians and more!”

He called his tome a “killing guide” and promised it would be “vicious and violent” and a “blood covered how to kill true life masterpiece.”

When authorities searched Mr. Ivers’ vehicle, they found 20 copies of the spiral-bound “How to Kill a Federal Judge” book, along with a list of federal judges, a copy of “The Anarchist Cookbook,” a toy gun and fireworks.

Local police arrested Mr. Ivers last week.

Authorities said Mr. Ivers told them his arrest would be free publicity for his writing.

He also faces state charges.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.