ALF v. USA

There is a new front in the war against terror.\nNo, I am not talking about a new cell of Muslim extremists or Christian fundamentalists. Rather, I am talking about eco-terrorists. In this day and age of studying almost everything connected to terrorism, this is a woefully under-analyzed area. However, recent events deserve to have light shed upon them.\nAbout 18 months ago, federal agents arrested 10 animal rights and environmental radicals. Investigators had tied the cell, known as “The Family,” to attacks on timber companies, SUV dealerships, a Colorado ski resort and the University of Washington’s Horticulture Center. Given the incontrovertible evidence against them, the defendants pled guilty and are currently awaiting sentencing. They did not expect what came next.\nIn a 148-page sentencing report filed in Eugene, Oregon federal court prosecutors stated that they want to add “terrorism enhancements” to the eco-terrorists’ sentences. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Peifer said, “This was a classic case of terrorism, despite their lofty humane goals.” He went on to say the lack of resultant deaths was “pure luck.”\nI for one am glad to see eco-terrorism finally being recognized as the serious threat that it is.\nOne can argue that nobody has died yet from an act of eco-terror, but it is only a matter of time until that changes.\nAn expert who tracks extremist groups at the Anti-Defamation League brought up one incident from the summer of 2006 to show just how serious these people really are:\nAn incendiary device was left at the home of a prominent UCLA primate researcher. Thankfully, it did not go off, but arson investigators said that if it had, escape would have been nearly impossible.\nBeing the inquisitive man that I am, I decided to see for myself if any of these militant groups are really as bad as they have been made out to be.\nThe moment I arrived at the main page of the Animal Liberation Front, I thought I had stumbled onto the Web site of the devil himself.\nPictures of cute and cuddly puppies and rabbits do appear, but they are being cradled by masked lunatics who look as if they belong to al-Qaida or Hamas. One picture of a man in a ski mask and camouflage jumpsuit cradling a piglet is especially disturbing. \nThe impression I received from these pictures was fairly clear: defend animals by any means necessary.\nSo where do we go from here?\nWell, I think the U.S. attorney in Oregon is on the right track by seeking terrorism enhancements to the sentences of eco-terrorists. Every case of eco-terrorism that works its way through the courts should be prosecuted in such a way.\nWe have to realize that terrorism is terrorism no matter the reasoning behind it. Property owners should not have their livelihoods destroyed by these monsters, nor should society have to count the days until lives are lost at their hands.\nThe bottom line is the ALF and their ilk are in the same category as al-Qaida. They should be treated accordingly.