Remember ELF and the SUV vandalism?

[Clete]

Today, the Los Angeles Times carried a story about the arrest of a young man for the acts.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hummer13sep13,1,2102845.story?coll=la-headlines-california-manual
<snip>
Federal authorities arrested a Pomona solar panel installer Friday in connection with the firebombing of a West Covina Hummer dealership last month, an attack linked to the radical environmental group Earth Liberation Front.

Josh Connole, 25, was taken into custody outside a Craftsman bungalow that he and five friends had converted into a self-styled co-op dedicated to veganism, conservation and the quest for world peace. Friends said Connole had nothing to do with the vandalism and describe him as a pacifist who is committed to change without violence.<snip>

These young people really don't seem to be environmental terrorists. They are no different than the activists of the sixties. Since the article doesn't mention what evidence the police have to connect Josh Connole, I wonder if this is what we are going to have to look forward under the Patriot Act from now on. According to the article all they have is video from security cameras to pin point him.

Is it possible that others are going to be scapegoated for every crime that can be pinned on environmentalists and other liberal groups? I find this very disturbing because acts like this could be set-ups by Ashcroft's Homeland Security to blame liberal activist groups. Am I being paranoid? It is a favorite tool of fascist governments to set up an incident with enough evidence to pin it on another group that they want to eliminate.

I really hope the ACLU and other groups get involved in this. Something doesn't seem right to me.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Yes well numerous lives were risked when a few SUV's got vandalized

[disgruntella]

2. I think it's certainly possible they got the wrong people

However, the organization ELF does take credit for these actions (unless their web site is a BFEE front, which I doubt)

http://www.earthliberationfront.com/news/2003/082203.shtml

So I wouldn't say that the organization is being scapegoated, although again, the individuals may very well be wrongly accused based on their afflilations or even just their lifestyles.

[Clete]

3. I think it's because of their hippie-like lifestyles.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

5. let's read that link shall we?

"Through media reports, the ELF Press Office has been made aware of three ELF actions occuring in the early morning hours of August 22, 2003. Although the ELF Press Office has received no communications about these actions from the persons responsible, spraypainted signatures at all scenes indicates claims of responsibility by ELF activists"

So the "ELF Press Office" heard about these "actions" on TV, just like we did, they haven't been contacted by anyone that supposedly did these "actions" but they are taking credit because of a spray painted slogan at the scene.

This is a scam, and it's so obvious I can't believe anyone is falling for it. How much of a insurance payout did the SUV dealers receive I wonder?

[disgruntella]

7. I did read the link, duh

Are you suggesting that the ELF web site *is* a conservative plot? Is there anything in that statement that sounds like ELF is *denying* involvement?

Again, I think it's plausible that the wrong people could be targeted in an investigation like this, but if the ELF isn't responsible, they did a piss-poor job of making a case for their innocence.

[Clete]

9. Considering that ELF is described as a loose

environmental organization, it seems that anyone could claim to be ELF no matter whose side of the fence they sit on. I mean I could go out right now and spray paint cars in the supermarket saying ELF is taking credit and who would be the wiser?

[karlschneider]

8. I wondered too. Hummer sales have dropped drastically, so I've heard

and noticing a lot of commercials on the cable nets lately. Lots of fires get started by insurance policies rubbing against each other...
:eyes:

[stevedeshazer]

4. You're not paranoid

You're right. I have the same concern.

I don't condone the actions of whoever did this, but I sure as hell want anyone accused of such a serious crime to have their constitutional rights protected.

This is a case to watch closely.

edited typo

[Capn Sunshine]

6. The whole point of this news coverage

BFEE wants "terrorism " and "environmentalists" paired together in public thought.

Patriot act can be used against them then.
Get it?