The LA Fires may have been domestic terrorism

[Renew Deal]

The suspect named Harry Burkhart may have had a dispute with the feds over immigration status of a relative.

The "person of interest" detained for questioning in a string of arson fires is a native of Germany who may have been in dispute with federal immigration officials, sources said.

The man appears to have been battling the U.S. government over the immigration status of a relative, but the officials said they don't know if this played any role in the case. The Los Angeles Police Department is in communication with federal immigration officials concerning the dispute, the law enforcement sources said.

LAPD detectives found materials that could have been used to set fires inside the man's minivan, the sources said.
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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/la-arson-probe-germany-native-immigration-link.html

If this is the story this may qualify as terrorism.

[elleng]

1. 'the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes'

Ya think?

[LeftyMom]

2. That would be very unusual for arson.

Usually serial arson is done by fetishists who light fires and then set up nearby to (I'm trying to put this as delicately as I can) really enjoy watching the fire and response.

[elleng]

4. That's what I thought.

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. Domestic only in that they happened here. Gray area for me.

The guy's a German national, driving a vehicle with Canadian plates. He has ties to a relative who is having immigration issues and is ALSO a German national.

For me, that doesn't qualify as "domestic terrorism".

[freshwest]

5. Also stupidity because setting fires wouldn't help their INS status, would it?

This guy isn't playing with a full deck if he thought burning cars and buildings was going to help his case. That would make him a nutter and not a terrorist.

But unless they make that diagnosis, he can enjoy the system's hospitality. I've heard that German prisons are nicer than ours but he may not know that.