Novartis CEO Sends Emails to 140 Animal Rights Activists: "You Are Criminals"

(MoneyWatch)  The news that Novartis CEO Daniel Vasella has sent 140 animal rights activists letters warning them to back off -- they burned down his vacation home and desecrated his family grave in July -- will have many in the pharmaceutical business cheering in their cubicles: Finally, someone is taking a stand and defending the industry, instead of cowering behind press releases and security guards. The letter says, per the FT:

"We strongly condemn the use of violence and terrorist tactics?€?.?€?.?€?.?€? as a substitute for meaningful, productive dialogue. As the author of the e-mail received, you should be aware that willingly or not you are associating yourself with criminal activity, such as extortion and blackmail."

He exhibited similar bravado to Dow Jones Newswires.

But Vasella's strategy is doomed to failure if he cannot demonstrate what the company has previously claimed: That Novartis has indeed severed its ties with Huntingdon Life Sciences, the contract company that does often grisly drug tests on animals.

This is the key to the entire conflict. Even though Novartis has previously said it no longer deals with HLS, the rights activists do not believe the company. And those activists are far more numerous, and far more determined, than Vasella is. As long as they believe Novartis tests at HLS, Vasella will be a target no matter how angry he becomes.

But being able to demonstrate that the activists are wrong on the facts could be a game-changer. Even extremists need a sympathetic political environment. The fact is that testing at HLS is fairly unpleasant. If Vasella can show Novartis is no longer involved, then the activists don't just look extreme -- they look insane.

And yet that is the one piece missing from Vasella's PR gambit.

• Previously:
• Novartis: Police Get Serious About Attacks on CEO; Boehringer Lab Site Torched
• Activists Post Photos of Novartis CEO's Family Grave; Threaten to Flush Mom's Ashes Down Toilet
• Novartis Ups Rhetoric v. "Terrorist" Animal Rights Activists; "Police Not Taking It Seriously"
• Novartis CEO Family Grave Attacked a 2nd Time; Targets Listed on Animal Rights Site
• Novartis CEO's Home Burned; Mother's Grave Desecrated; Animal Rights Activists Suspected