PETA/ELF: Animal & Environmental Extremists and Homeland Security

[Jedburgh]

This also qualifies several pro-life organizations as domestic terrorists. Are they on the FBI list?
Reed

Your question has already been answered. But to add context, I'd just like to point out that violence from the extremists in that camp peaked in the late '90s. They did carry out several murders, and a large number of bombings and arson (remember Rudolph?). Although there are still a few scattered arson incidents attributed to'em, the worst of it appears to have passed.

The concern related to the the radical fur-lovers and tree-huggers is that the significant uptick in personal threats over the past year may indicate that they intend to escalate. The IIDs, although they have not resulted in any deaths yet, are an indicator of capability - as is their boasting of tracking/monitoring potential targets.

[120mm]

Your question has already been answered. But to add context, I'd just like to point out that violence from the extremists in that camp peaked in the late '90s. They did carry out several murders, and a large number of bombings and arson (remember Rudolph?). Although there are still a few scattered arson incidents attributed to'em, the worst of it appears to have passed.

The concern related to the the radical fur-lovers and tree-huggers is that the significant uptick in personal threats over the past year may indicate that they intend to escalate. The IIDs, although they have not resulted in any deaths yet, are an indicator of capability - as is their boasting of tracking/monitoring potential targets.

The FBI's 43 million dollar figure is laughably low. The 2003 San Diego firebombing of the 200 condo unit was $50 million by itself. While property damage at U of Washington and Michigan State was only six figures to low seven figures, the research material destroyed is estimated into the multi-million dollar range by the USDA.

BTW - "Political Vandalism" is the buzz-word phrase that the terrorists at ELF and ALF use to justify destroying property and endangering people's lives. Their leadership has publicly stated that actually killing researchers/support staff would not be a bad outcome. And that's at a PETA convention.

On the subject of the anti-abortion activists, they are routinely prosecuted for criminal, or even incipient criminal activities. As they should be.

[selil]

I couldn't find the cash figure for the Colorado resort ELF burned down but it had to be many millions.

[Rex Brynen]

The FBI's 43 million dollar figure is laughably low. The 2003 San Diego firebombing of the 200 condo unit was $50 million by itself. While property damage at U of Washington and Michigan State was only six figures to low seven figures, the research material destroyed is estimated into the multi-million dollar range by the USDA.

That was a 2002 FBI estimate, so it didn't include damage from the 2003 fire. It was presumably included in Inhofe's estimate of $110 for 1995-2005.

I absolutely agree with Ted's comment that:

Homeland defense activities are meant to detect, deter, disrupt, prevent and/or mitigate any terrorist act - not just major terror attacks. If you dismiss PETA and ELF simply because they are not likely to attempt an attack using WMD, then you are also dismissing quite a large spectrum of real threats from a variety of transnational terrorists.

Just as those responsible for homeland security have the duty to anticipate the realization of worst-case scenario threats to the US, they also have the responsibility to deal with what actually exists on our doorstep. Domestic terrorism - not just homegrown radical jihadis - is a real threat, and PETA/ELF and spin-off animal/eco extremists are a piece of it.

[Entropy]

Yes, ELF/ALF are "terrorists" per the dictionary definition. However, it's important not to exaggerate the threat they pose. Resources in combatting them should be based on the relative threat they pose and not because of their categorization as "terrorists."

[Steve Blair]

It's also important not to lose sight of them based on either their level of celebrity support or sympathy to their cause.

PETA makes a great funding conduit to ELF and other more radical groups. In many ways I think these groups were the model for the 'leaderless' insurgencies and similar movements. Here's a link to one item of interest: Animal Rights Militia.

And a quote from one of the ELF leader-types:

Rosebraugh's credibility was slightly undermined after he opened a natural food restaurant in Portland in January 2004 and fired workers who threatened to go on strike. Nevertheless, his influence in the movement remains high and ELF likely will continue to bundle other social concerns with its environmentalist mission. In a March 2004 television interview, Pickering underscored this ideological expansion: "Violence is a necessary element of an oppressive struggle…to overthrow an oppressive government…[ELF is] only part of a larger building revolutionary movement that won't stop until it has a successful overthrow of this country."

Quote is from here.