posted on August 22, 2003 05:58:38 PM new
WEST COVINA – Apparent eco-arsonist taggers inflicted $1 million-plus in damage Friday to a dealership that sells Hummers, and marred still more SUVs on other San Gabriel Valley lots and streets, authorities said.
"The incident is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It's being termed an 'act of domestic terrorism,"' said West Covina Police Chief Frank Wills at Clippinger Chevrolet, one of the main targets.
Investigators also were looking into similar graffiti attacks on vehicles at dealerships in Duarte and Arcadia, and on sport utility vehicles parked on Monrovia streets, and a telephoned threat to another dealership.
Scrawled on at least one of the vehicles not destroyed by the 5 a.m. fire at the Clippinger lot were the letters "ELF," the acronym for the radical Earth Liberation Front.
"There are claims that it can be the ELF," said Cheryl Mimura of the FBI's Los Angeles office. "They are considered to be a domestic terrorist group. We will work with local fire and police departments, as well as the ATF on this investigation." But she said until someone claims responsibility, the ELF cannot be confirmed as the organization behind the overnight crimes.
At the scene, FBI Agent Randy Parsons said, "We're aggressively investigating a number of possible leads."
On Aug. 5, an arson blaze consumed a five-story, 206-unit condominium complex under construction in the University City section of San Diego, causing an estimated $50 million in damage.
Near the scene of that blaze, firefighters found a 12-foot-long, hand- lettered banner that read: "IF YOU BUILD IT – WE WILL BURN IT – THE E.L.F.'s ARE MAD."
That reportedly is now considered the costliest eco-terrorist act in U.S. history, far outstripping the $12 million arson that destroyed a ski resort going up near Vail, Colo. in October 1998.
Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, represents the area and said she is an advocate herself for environmental causes, but "I deplore any acts of 'eco- terrorism' or terrorist activity of any nature. Nothing condones violent and devastating actions that risk lives, property and public safety. In a post-9-11 world, our country holds a zero tolerance for such acts."
The Clippinger fire, south of the San Bernardino Freeway, charred a single structure at the dealership, as well as vehicles in the lot, but no injuries were reported.
Scrawled across one of the damaged Hummers – which at the low end retail for nearly $50,000 – were the words "Fat lazy Americans." Another bore the words, "I love pollution." Still another read, "I'm a greedy little pig."
"Our first units on the scene knew it was an extraordinary fire because there were multiple fires," said West Covina Fire Chief Richard Greene.
The graffiti, some of it profane, "confirm it was a set fire," the chief said, adding that the FBI – already heavily involved in the investigation of the San Diego fire – was quickly notified.
"It really gets under my skin. They endanger my firefighters' lives over what they feel is a good cause," Greene told a Los Angeles-area television station.
He said the noxious smoke the blaze generated amounts to more pollution than the destroyed SUVs would have generated over a lifetime on the road.
"I'll guarantee that whoever did this is going to be caught. They're going to be brought to justice," Greene said.
It took more than an hour to douse the flames, due to all the hazardous materials burning inside the building, which forced crews to use the "surround and drown" technique.
Bernie Schonder works at the Clippinger dealership.
"This is my livelihood, you know? So I don't know right now," he said. "It's just, definitely it's not right. So whoever did it, I hope they catch them, definitely."
The ELF, a 6-year-old network of radical activists, describes itself as an "international underground movement." It seeks to "inflict economic damage on those profiting from the destruction and exploitation of the natural environment," according to its Web site.
It issued a statement, saying its press office had been "made aware of three ELF actions occurring 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, spray-painted signatures at all scenes indicates claims of responsibility by ELF activists."
In the other vandalism incidents, employees arrived for work at Advantage Ford in Duarte to find about 50 SUVS with spray-paint damage. Across the street, a Mitsubishi dealership was hit.
At the Rusnak Mercedes-Benz dealership in Arcadia, nine cars were tagged. And in neighboring Monrovia, an SUV parked on the street was scrawled with ELF slogans and an attempt was made to ignite the vehicle, according to the station.
West Covina Police Chief Wills said he expects security to be tightened at dealerships over a wide area.
"You can count on the fact that tonight, almost every auto dealership in Southern California will receive very heavy additional patrols by their local police department," he said.
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Men Are Like Grapes. If You Stomp on Them and Keep Them in the Dark Long Enough, They Might Turn Into Something That You Would Take to Dinner
posted on August 22, 2003 07:01:11 PM new
I agree with 12 pole. We don't need any more terrorism of any kind.There are always better ways to deal with problems than destroying peoples property or taking peoples lives.
posted on August 22, 2003 07:04:10 PM new
Just for clarification - the title of this thread was typed with dripping sarcasm.
As one of the people involved in the LaJolla site that was burned down stated, this does nothing to save or conserve. Now there are just that many more trees that will have to be cut to replace that which was burned.
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Men Are Like Grapes. If You Stomp on Them and Keep Them in the Dark Long Enough, They Might Turn Into Something That You Would Take to Dinner
