[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 12, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S653-S654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ECO-TERRORISM--DOMESTIC TERRORISM HURTS OUR NATION

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to address the subject of eco-
terrorism and the assault on our public lands. Eco-terrorism is 
described as any crime committed in the name of saving nature. And 
these ``crimes'' range from civil disobedience to crimes

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officially designated as a terrorist act by the FBI. In January a band 
of criminals who call themselves the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and 
the North American Animal Liberation Front (ALF), released a report on 
their combined crime spree during 2001. They also chose to announce a 
day of national action for February 12th apparently to protest 
Congressional hearings on their activities.
  While I agree that our public lands needs to be saved for the use of 
future generations, I believe this should be accomplished through 
active lands management that promotes the mission statements of our 
public lands agencies. I denounce those who believe that saving nature 
means driving metal spikes through trees or burning buildings, actions 
that threaten human lives.
  While these folks characterize burning down research centers, homes, 
and businesses as a form of self-expression protected by the First 
Amendment, most Americans would question these wrongheaded beliefs. 
Neither our government nor the American public will support the 
activities of ELF and ALF.
  These groups of eco-terrorist hide from the law, there organizations 
have no rosters, no board of directors; they work in ``cells''; and 
they use guerrilla warfare tactics so as not to inform on others. They 
carry out their acts and then anonymously take credit on behalf of the 
Earth Liberation Front. They feel it is their duty to commit life-
threatening crimes against society to protect nature. Yet they post 
guidelines on underground websites and give directions as to how to 
spike trees and build bombs.
  Insurance companies are also starting to recognize the risk of eco-
terrorism by broadening their definitions of ``terrorist activities/
organizations'' and increasing premiums. As a result, the timber 
industry is bearing a greater financial burden. If a group that meets 
the insurance industry definition burns or destroys any equipment, it 
is NOT covered by insurance. Insurance companies intend to include 
Earth First!, ELF, and ALF in these new definitions.
  Let me give my colleagues, an example of this change. The coverage 
premium for a helicopter was $10,200 for $5,000,000 liability coverage. 
The premium increased to $24,000 for $1,000,000 worth of coverage. This 
is a 140 percent increase in premium for an 80 percent decrease in 
coverage. This is outrageous! Even the insurance companies recognize 
the dangers involved in eco-terrorism.
  The destruction by ELF and ALF has not been directed at just timber 
companies, though. Land grant universities are also a target because of 
the research they provide. To those struggling to pay for the education 
of their college-age children, the recent ELF and ALF 2001 action 
report makes for interesting reading. The ELF and ALF claim to have 
destroyed parts, or all, of several buildings at four major land grant 
universities and to have attempted to burn down additional buildings at 
several other universities.

  Administrators faced with the cost of rebuilding facilities as well 
as recreating important research surely now question ELF's definition 
of ``nonviolent.'' The list of ELF and ALF actions against our 
educational system is sobering. It includes the University of 
Washington--Center for Urban Horticulture, $5.6 million; the Oregon 
State University--destroyed poplar trees and cottonwood trees, 
$200,000; the University of Arizona--Mt. Graham International 
Observatory power line, equipment and vehicles monkey wrenched, 
$200,000; the University of Idaho--Biotech building spray painted and 
survey stakes pulled, $20,000; the Ohio State University--locks on 
doors super-glued and spray painted, no cost estimate; the Michigan 
Tech University--Noblet Forestry Building and Forest Engineering Lab 
attempted arson, no cost estimate; and the Cornell University--Duck 
Laboratory ducks stolen, no cost estimate.
  The ELF continued its reign of terror as recently as February 3 when 
it set fire to heavy equipment and a trailer at the University of 
Minnesota's new plant genetics laboratory.
  We're not just talking about the destruction of inanimate public 
property here. What of the thousands of hours of research that were 
destroyed in these senseless not-so-random acts of violence? Is it fair 
to the scientists whose work was destroyed in these facilities, to tell 
them the American public thinks so little of their work that we will 
accept these acts as legitimate political statements? Some of these 
scientists have spent a career working on this research, working to 
discover ways to make our world and our lives better.
  Some advocates demand we protect bio-diversity by setting aside vast 
areas of forests because they believe a potential cure for cancer or 
some other disease may be found in these forests. Shouldn't we also be 
concerned about the potential cures for cancer and other diseases, or 
other technological advances, that might have been under development at 
these research centers? The destruction of these buildings and the 
research housed within these institutions is no less important than the 
bio-diversity harbored in our forests. The American people, the press, 
the Congress cannot stand by and ignore these events.
  Given the number of training sessions carried out each summer by 
these organizations, as well as the more mainline environmental groups 
that teach impressionable young people how to destroy property, I 
expect our federal government to put more effort into ending this 
domestic terrorism. I'm also concerned about the financial support 
groups such as ELF, ALF, the Ruckus Society, and others receive from 
the large environmental trusts, and others, who support this unlawful 
behavior. Grants to these organizations that result in the destruction 
of public and private property make the funding organizations 
accessories to these crimes.
  When we turn a blind eye to these types of activities, and we tell 
ourselves that these are just young people searching for meaning in 
their lives, or that these folks are only participating in the 
political process, we do ourselves and our neighbors a disservice.
  When we stand idly by and tell ourselves that these are just timber 
companies or giant corporations that can afford these events, we 
diminish ourselves, our society, and the freedom that we enjoy in this 
great country. The simple fact is: burning down buildings and 
destroying research facilities and the research housed in those 
facilities, is a crime, and there is no reason, political or other, 
that this type of behavior should be accepted by anyone.

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