'Ecoterrorism' case stirs debate in US

Environmental radicals, who pleaded guilty to arson, may face harsher sentences under antiterror laws.

from the May 18, 2007 edition

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Prosecutors say this makes no difference, especially when it comes to arson attacks.

"This was a classic case of terrorism, despite their protests of lofty humane goals," Assistant US Attorney Stephen Peifer told US District Judge Ann Aiken in court Tuesday. "It was pure luck no one was killed or injured by their actions."

In recent years, the USA Patriot Act and other legislation have broadened the application of antiterrorism laws and punishments to include radical environmental and animal-welfare activists. After years of unsolved crimes acknowledged to be the work of the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front, the use of informants has broken up several cells, including The Family.

Still, "direct actions" claimed by these shadowy groups with no apparent central leadership continue, experts say.

"Vandalism occurs on a regular basis," says Oren Segal, who tracks extremist groups for the Anti-Defamation League in New York. "The harassment of employees of companies that either animal test or work with companies that animal test also occurs on a daily basis. New groups have formed, and new leaders have emerged."

"Moreover, the movement's violent rhetoric increasingly justifies targeting humans to save the lives of animals," says Mr. Segal. "It was not surprising when ALF took credit for leaving an incendiary device at the home of a UCLA primate researcher in the summer of 2006. Although the device failed to ignite, arson investigators said it would have made escape difficult or impossible had it functioned properly."

Mainstream environmentalists and animal-welfare advocates decry such violence. But they're concerned that branding it as "terrorism" threatens legitimate activism as well.

"When everyone is a terrorist, no one is," says Ms. Regan. "The further we broaden the language of what a true terrorist is, the less security we really have. If a monkeywrencher is the same as Osama bin Laden, where is the distinction drawn?"

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