Is Ecosabotage Terrorism?
Sunday May 7, 2006
Arson and sabotage carried out to protest poor treatment of animals or the environment may be criminal acts, but do they qualify as terrorism? Increasingly, the Bush Administration says they do, and has set FBI counterterrorism agents and federal prosecutors to work investigating and prosecuting the protesters as "terrorists" -- even though none of the crimes injured or harmed a single person.
"Terrorism is terrorism — no matter what the motive," said FBI director Robert Mueller in January, as he announced the indictments of 11 people for a series of arson attacks the government is calling a conspiracy.
A number of legal experts have taken exception to calling environmental protesters terrorists, believing that crimes against property don't qualify as terrorism--even according to accepted government definitions--and that using the term in court may prejudice juries and raise questions of whether defendents received a fair trial.
In addition to questions of environmental protesters being tried fairly in court, some observers are raising serious questions about the effect Bush administration policies are having on civil liberties and cherished American values such as freedom of speech.
"You couple spying on political dissenters with grand jury subpoenas and a series of arrests, it's had a huge effect," said Alejandro Queral, executive director of the Northwest Constitutional Rights Center, in an interview with The Seattle Times. "There is a serious danger of chilling dissenting points of view."
The Seattle Times takes a close look at the issue in a package of articles titled Is Ecosabotage Terrorism?
"Terrorism is terrorism — no matter what the motive," said FBI director Robert Mueller in January, as he announced the indictments of 11 people for a series of arson attacks the government is calling a conspiracy.
A number of legal experts have taken exception to calling environmental protesters terrorists, believing that crimes against property don't qualify as terrorism--even according to accepted government definitions--and that using the term in court may prejudice juries and raise questions of whether defendents received a fair trial.
In addition to questions of environmental protesters being tried fairly in court, some observers are raising serious questions about the effect Bush administration policies are having on civil liberties and cherished American values such as freedom of speech.
"You couple spying on political dissenters with grand jury subpoenas and a series of arrests, it's had a huge effect," said Alejandro Queral, executive director of the Northwest Constitutional Rights Center, in an interview with The Seattle Times. "There is a serious danger of chilling dissenting points of view."
The Seattle Times takes a close look at the issue in a package of articles titled Is Ecosabotage Terrorism?
Comments
If the so-called “thinking” “compassionate” ones in protest perform acts of violence or arson as a catalyst for their protest they are defeating themselves and their cause and I question their true motives. Give peace a chance!!