Eco-Terrorist in UW arson sentenced

Another UW arsonist sentenced to federal prison

Seattle PI August 19, 2008 Paul Shukovsky

A Spokane woman was sentenced Tuesday to three years in federal prison in the May 2001 firebombing of the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture.

Lacey Phillabaum, 33, of Spokane, is one of five people -- members of a domestic terrorist group called the Earth Liberation Front -- who were accused by federal prosecutors of the arson attack that destroyed the building along with precious samples of rare and endangered plants species being cultivated for reintroduction into the Cascades. The ELF cell, dubbed "The Family," acted on the erroneous belief that a scientist at the center was doing the kind of genetic engineering work that they reviled as being dangerous to the environment.

Phillabaum cried in court, but composed herself to apologize to her victims. "When I think about the damage I did to you my heart is heavy," she said. "I acted as a bully and a tyrant, and I am ashamed that I tried to strong-arm social change."

Phillabaum pleaded guilty in October 2006 in an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's office in Seattle that called for a 36-month sentence.

Her sentence is the second lowest of a dozen members of The Family sentenced in the last two years for either the UW arson, other arson attacks, or both. It reflects the government's acknowledgment that, unlike several other members of The Family, she was involved in only one arson and that she has done everything that she can to atone for her crime, including testifying against other ELF members, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Friedman told the court.

Her role in the arson involved helping to haul the firebomb to the Urban Horticulture Center, located near the University Village mall. She also helped draft a statement of responsibility released after the attack which said such genetic engineering would unleash mutant genes into the environment that is certain to cause irreversible harm to forest ecosystems. "I know there are people out there who are being pulled into the same radical subculture that glamorized arson for me," Phillabaum told the court Tuesday. "Radical activists who are cheering you on from the sidelines cannot know how it feels to have tried this, how your ideals might change afterwards. So listen to me: No matter your commitment today, when you bind to a crime like this, you spit on the rich experience of life."

Jennifer Kolar, another member of the ELF cell, pleaded guilty to the UW arson at the same time as Phillabaum. She was sentenced in July to five years in prison. Kolar played a role in an ELF rampage of arson over several years that included not only the UW, but also an Oregon meat packing plant, a Colorado gun club whose members killed prairie dogs for sport and a federal wild horse and burro facility where the animals slated to be killed for grazing on federal land were freed before the place was torched.

Briana Waters was sentenced in June to six years in prison after being found guilty at trial of the UW firebombing. Federal prosecutors allege that Waters -- like Kolar -- participated in other arsons.

Two other alleged ELF members accused of firebombing the Urban Horticulture Center have evaded justice. William Rodgers killed himself in a county jail in Prescott, Ariz., in December 2005 shortly after being arrested for the UW arson. And Justin Solondz, of Jefferson County, is a fugitive.

U.S. District Court Judge Franklin Burgess, in handing down the sentence, said: "Without her participation, and without her substantial assistance in this matter, this case might not have gotten off the ground."

He also ordered three years of supervised release for Phillabaum, who, like others convicted in the arson, is also on the hook for nearly $6.1 million in restitution.

Her sentence is too short. She should serve a minimum of twenty years for eco-terrorism. Send these ELF'ers to Gitmo, water board the lot of them and crush this organization.

"Eco-Terrorism On Orcas"

Eco-Terrorist Gabriel Thomas Mondragon cuts power on Orcas Island Washington. The dope tried to cut through a 69kV line wearing dishwasher gloves.

This story is from the Island Guardian newspaper: http://www.islandguardian.com/archives/00001878.html
Located in Friday Harbor, Washington. All credit goes to them for this story.

”I did it to punish the rich white people of Orcas Island and make them pay for the death of the whales and the depletion of the rain forests” -Mondragon

Gabriel Thomas Mondragon, 29 years old, who recently arrived from New Mexico, explained to Sheriff’s Deputies that in an attempt to make the people on Orcas “suffer just like the whales and trees”, he attempted to use a tree limbing saw -on a metal pole- to cut through a 69,000 volt power line.

According to the sheriff’s report, the man, identified as Gabriel Mondragon, also stated he wanted to protest “the death of Luna the whale and the destruction of the rain forest.”

Being well informed on the power of high voltage power lines, Mondragon cleverly put on several pair of latex dish washing gloves to isolate him from electrocution, and proceeded to touch saw to power line.

Mondragon was found laying on his back some distance from the line, his pants had been on fire, where they had burned away from his hips down. His gloves had partially melted, and he had “first, second and third degree burns’ on various parts of his body. He was, in short, lucky to be alive. He now has some medical and legal problems to deal with, including some interest in his actions by the FBI.

An OPALCO lineman who responded to the outage was on site at the substation within twenty minutes and called the sheriff’s office for an aid car. The sheriff’s office and fire department arrived with aid within ten minutes.

The substation is surrounded by a barbwire topped fence, so Mondragon first tried to reach the power line by standing on a ladder. When that failed to get him close enough to be electrocuted, he went over the fence, and was then was able to reach a power line.

Thousands of people on parts of Orcas and Shaw only experienced a temporary loss of electrical power as a result Mondragon’s action, while Mondragon was flow off to Harborview Hospital in Seattle via AirLift Northwest, for treatment of what are being called serious injuries..

The incident has been reported to the FBI, and Sheriff Bill Cumming said County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord will determine what, if any, charges may be pending, but at the least he may be charged with trespass. Gaylord said he would review the on-scene reports prior to making a determination of what appropriate charges may be.

OPALCO General Manager Randy Cornelius said he was required to notify the FBI of the incident, but that he had no information on any of the specifics of the case.

Cumming said because the crime involved a utility, the FBI has jurisdiction to enter the case. Given Mondragon’s statements, it seems likely he may also face additional charges related to “eco-terrorism”. The FBI defines eco-terrorism as “acts of violence in protest of harm to animals or to the environment, ” and it “is the United States' No.1 terrorism threat from inside its own borders.”

The County Council met this morning for their normal Monday morning work session, and Councilman Bob Myhr, who also is a siting board member of OPALCO, briefed the Council on the incident. Chairman Howard Rosenfeld said he was sure the OPALCO facilities are “not hardened against this type of thing, and never will be; so we need to stop alienating our own people.”

“This tragic incident underlines the importance of public education about the dangers of power lines and electrical safety, “ stated OPALCO General Manager, Randy Cornelius. “I’m proud of how quickly and efficiently our linemen and emergency services responded; I’m grateful for the professionalism of the law enforcement and fire service personnel who responded and took control of the scene—and am thankful that no lives were lost. Our thoughts are with the family of the young man that was injured.”

Power was restored to most of the island by 11:30 p.m. Some areas were without power until noon Sunday.

OPALCO is a member-owned cooperative electrical utility serving more than 10,000 islanders in San Juan County. OPALCO provides mostly renewable electricity that is 97% greenhouse-gas free and is predominately generated by hydro-electric plants.


This is so funny. This dope thought wearing some dishwasher gloves would save his ass when he was grounded to a metal pole. I have have some electrical gloves rated at 600 volts, they are pretty thick and cumbersome. A few layers of latex would not stand a chance.

The funniest thing of all was, he was cutting of power from a renewable resource.

Eco-Terror Strikes Pullman

Take impressionable young minds. Add extremist rhetoric from left-wing professors. Shake well.

Graffiti today, arson tomorrow.

From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Vehicles spray-painted with graffiti in Pullman

Graffiti was found on nine large vehicles in Pullman early Saturday morning, linking them to global warming.

Pullman Police Sgt. Dan Dornes said SUVs, trucks and vans in the parking lots of Campus Commons South, Boulder Creek and Cedar Ridge apartment complexes were spray-painted with the words "gas hog." A vehicle owner reported the first incident at 6:19 a.m. Eight other vehicles were found shortly thereafter.

Dornes said fliers about global warming also were affixed to the vehicles.

Anyone with information about the incidents is encouraged to call police at (509) 334-0802.

Slimes Euphemism of the Day

The Seattle Slimes still can't bring itself to call the treehugging wackos that firebombed a UW horticulture clinic in 2001 "terrorists." The latest euphemism: "ecosaboteurs."

A federal jury found that Briana Waters, a former Olympia resident, was among a group of ecosaboteurs who torched the center in the predawn hours of May 21, 2001, causing about $1.5 million in damage. The center was later rebuilt at a cost of about $7 million

I guess the Slimes just doesn't consider a perky little suburban violin teacher named "Briana" with a 3 year old daughter a "terrorist."

By Any Other Name

In the August 22, 2005 edition of the New York Times, Jennifer Guyot wrote:

Victims of Eric R. Rudolph, the bomber who attacked the 1996 Olympics and two abortion clinics, said he seemed different at his sentencing today.

In contrast to the defiant terrorist who had declared himself "bloodied but emphatically unbowed," even as he agreed to plead guilty, Mr. Rudolph - who was sentenced to life in prison, as expected - was subdued and even apologetic.

Now compare that with what John Holusha wrote on the Times blog The Lede about yesterday's econut attack in Seattle where several houses under construction were burned down:

For people who are anti-sprawl activists — or have baser motives — a new-built house sitting empty in a previously rural area evidently makes a ripe target for an attack by fire.

[...]

Environmental activists were initially suspected in a rash of fires in southern Maryland in late 2004 that destroyed 12 houses and damaged a total of 40. The houses were part of a 300-house development that drew complaints from environmentalists, both local and national, because it would “destroy a forest adjacent to state-preserved wildlands and severely degrade one of Maryland’s largest magnolia bogs.”

So, according to the Times, if you bomb an abortion clinic, you're a "terrorist." Burn down a house to stop "urban sprawl," you're merely an "activist." The left-wing Seattle Slimes was also guilty of similar prevarication.

Check out some of the comments on the blog:

I find it hard to condemn these arsons - unchecked development and urban sprawl are not only an enviromental problem but they also constitue a safety issue (see the San Diego fires last year). As long as they don’t harm people but only gredy companies’ profit or assets, it seems to me that these actions are morally justifiable, even if illegal.

thank god…. at least someone in this country cares enough to take action.

perhaps its not the best way to act or show civil disobedience…. I agree with the comment about them ultimately doing the evil developers they’re trying to hurt nothing more than a financial favor that is relieving them of an economic burden/liability.

but…. i’m glad that not all americans are playing playstation, watching orpah, and eating themselves into a motorized wheelchair. its inspiring to know that there are still some Americans who actually care enough to take a direct action against something that is killing the environment.

mcmansions are the epitome of our nation’s narcissism and obsession with opulence.

I disagree with those who say this is an idiotic act. First of all, it has spurred a conversation between citizens of our country - and I see that a large percentage of those people commenting seem to be ambivalent about whether these acts are “terrorism”, which means this is a conversation we ought to have. I think acts such as these, which only harm empty buildings and their developers (who are insured) - and which do not harm people or animals - tend to make a larger point about where this society is heading and whether all of us wish to head there. To those who argue that this act created more environmental damage than leaving the homes alone, I would argue that the pollutants released in a fire like this amount to much less carbon emissions than those which are released when the homes are occupied, electricity turned on 365 days a year, SUV’s in the driveway and all the electronics turned on. I think in this day and age of the government monitoring us and renditioning us and holding us without charges, that it is quite interesting to see that there are people brave enough to risk being labelled “terrorist” in order to stand up for something they believe in and do something which is obviously more skin to vandalism than terrorism.

Scary.

P.S. - This housing development was initially opposed because, wait for it, of worries over the local aquifer.

P.P.S - Be sure to check out the editorial in today's Daily Watermelon that claims that "human society continues to commit atrocities against other sentient creatures" (i.e. cows.)