Eco-Terrorism — Not just pipe bombs anymore

What happened in Washington state is frightening. It is further confirmation of a trend in eco-terrorism I report on in Eco-Freaks. Eco-terrorism is becoming just as sophisticated and elaborate as other forms of terrorism, with terror cells and carefully designed acts of destruction. It can no longer be dismissed as the work of a few nuts. Investigations and convictions from the recent bombings of facilities from ski resorts to research facilities have revealed a vast network that rivals that of other organized terrorism.

The claim that organized eco-terrorism is not cause for concern, because it supposedly hasn’t killed anyone yet doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Eco-terror missives have grown more and more threatening in their language, and some have justified taking human lives to “save” the environment. Eco-terrorists who target research facilities are implictly threatening lives knowing that scientists often work in their labs 24-7. And we really don’t know how many have actually been harmed or killed by eco-terrorism. The groups may only take credit for bombing and arson where no one was harmed.

And Eco-terrorist activity against scientific researchers has indirectly killed thousands of people, among them the most vulnerable members of our society. People with debilitating diseases depend on animal research and on amazing biotechnology innovations such as gene-splicing, which environmentalistscriticize as “unnatural.” In the third world, food derived from biotechnology can be fortified with special ingredients to make sure poor children get the nutrients they need. When terrorist acts or threats delay or curtail life-saving research, the real casualties are the sick and the poor who depend on the ability of scientists to do their work.

Here is an excerpt of my chapter in Eco-Freaks on eco-terrorism, published by the Capital Research Center.