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Court documents: Political activist wanted radioactive material to commit suicide

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A Dane County man charged with attempting to buy a radioactive substance with the intent to kill someone wanted to kill himself, according to a court document filed Monday.

Jeremy Ryan told the court Monday he wanted the substance as a "back-up suicide plan" if his cancer returned.

Federal Magistrate Stephen Crocker ruled there was no way to verify Ryan's story and ordered him held in custody.

Ryan allegedly attempted to purchase the material once in Marchand again this month from an undercover FBI agent posting as a merchant on the dark web.

He tried to buy the substance that would kill quickly after ingestion. Ryan paid about $500 in Bitcoin for the substance. 

Ryan was arrested in Black Earth Wednesday after picking up the package from a Madison UPS Store Mailbox. 

Ryan attempted a Congressional run against Speaker of the House Paul Ryan in 2014, after being dubbed “Segway Boy” for riding a Segway around the state capitol harassing Republicans in 2011.