Eco-Terror Eyed In Washington State Arson

4 Multimillion-Dollar Show Homes Set Ablaze; Earth Liberation Front Sign Left At Scene

(CBS/AP)  Explosive devices were found inside multimillion-dollar show homes that burned in a suburb north of Seattle Monday, fire officials said. Authorities also found a spray-painted sign purportedly left by a radical environmental group at the scene.

Fire Chief Rick Eastman of Snohomish County District 7 said fire crews discovered the devices inside the houses and were able to remove them.

A total of five devices were found, reports CBS affiliate KIRO-TV in Seattle. A device in one home apparently didn’t go off.

The FBI said the fires in the four homes were being investigated as a potential domestic terrorism act. Agents from the FBI and Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were assisting local authorities in the investigation.

No injuries were reported from the fires, which began before dawn in the wooded subdivision and were still smoldering by midmorning.

The sign, a white sheet that had the initials of the Earth Liberation Front in scraggly red letters, mocked claims the luxury homes on the "Street of Dreams" were environmentally friendly, according to video images of the sign aired by KING-TV.

"Built Green? Nope black!" the sign said.

The fires started at a strip of unoccupied, furnished luxury model homes where developers show off the latest in high-end housing, interior design and landscaping. The homes are later sold.

The blazes were set in multiple places in separate houses, Eastman said. He confirmed that the ELF sign was found at the scene of the fires in the community north of Woodinville, where some homes were still under construction.

The ELF, or Earth Liberation Front, is a loosely organized collection of radical environmentalists authorities say is responsible for other arsons in the Northwest.

ELF is considered a domestic terrorist organization by the FBI, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

A woman is currently trial in Tacoma for a suspected ELF fire at the University of Washington in 2001. Briana Waters, a 32-year-old violin teacher, is accused of serving as a lookout while her friends planted a devastating fire bomb.

The fire is one of the most notorious in a string of arsons that investigators say were perpetrated from the mid-1990s to 2001 by ELF.

No one was hurt in the arson at UW, but its Center for Urban Horticulture was destroyed and rebuilt at a cost of $7 million. It was targeted because the ELF activists mistakenly believed researchers there were genetically engineering trees, investigators said.

The homes are in a development near the headwaters of Bear Creek, which is home to endangered chinook salmon. Opponents of the development had questioned whether the luxury homes could pollute the creek and an aquifer that is a drinking water source, and whether enough was done to protect nearby wetlands.

One of the people involved in the 2007 Street of Dreams said the homes used "Built Green" standards such as water-pervious sidewalks, super-insulated walls and windows and products made with recycled materials, such carpet pads. Advertising for last summer's Street of Dreams show focused on the environmentally friendly aspects of the homes, which were smaller than some of the huge houses featured in years past.

"It's very disappointing to take a situation where we're tying to promote good building practices - Built Green practices - and that it's destroyed. It's extremely disappointing. I don't understand the logic in that," said Doug Barnes, the Northwest division president of Centex Homes in Kirkland and the immediate past president of the Master Builders Association of King & Snohomish Counties. He was a judge at the 2007 Street of Dreams.

The homes that burned were between 4,200 and 4,750 square feet in size, with prices up to nearly $2 million. None of the five showcase homes from the Street of Dreams last summer had been sold, said Grey Lundberg, a builder of one of the houses.

[rushlimpdrug]

I know some guy on a dating site named . . .
Posted by lilyleon at 10:43 AM

Maybe he has fire in his pants?

[jetlizhan]

this is horrible - what a waste of good money and hard work.

[hillaryin08]

Eco-Terrorism Eyed In Wash. Home Blaze
Earth Liberation Front Sign Left At Scene Of Fires At Model Home Development

Great, now the Democrats are burning down neighborhoods. At least they could wait until they loose the election.

[blazercoach1]

Further evidence that evil is in PEOPLE not in parties or ideologies or movements.

Environmentalists should not be categorically blamed for the actions of this group. Just like pro-lifers should not be categorically blamed for the actions of a clinic-bomber.

The best intentions can easily be swayed to evil purposes. That should not reflect on the intentions...but on the actions and the individuals who carry them out.

[easeup-2009]

LIBTARDS GONE WILD!!!!

They key SUV''s, spray paint on fur and now burn down homes. Time to round ''em up!

[l8c6]

Irrelevant and shows you have poor mental discipline.

Posted by ilikecats1

You are a cold soulless whited sepulcher. Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.

[l8c6]

Irrelevant and shows you have poor mental discipline.

Posted by ilikecats1

Remember you''re from dust and to dust you shall return.

[l8c6]

They slither among us leaving a trail of destruction and hate and terror.


Posted by ilikecats1

Before noticing the speck in your brother''s eye, notice the log in your own.

Remember you''re from dust and to dust you shall return.

[perception5]

The sign, which had the initials of the Earth Liberation Front.

..........Yeah, just another one of the Democrat Party''s far left-wing socialist''s "special interest" groups.

Nothing new here.

I wonder how much pollution this left-wing group put into our atomsphere by burning these homes? .........nuts!

And if Americans are wondering why America doesn''t have any energy then please look at the Democrat Party.

[canalan-2009]

If you burn down a house, isn''t that environmentally bad because of all the greenhouse gases released into the air? The eco-terrorists are just stupid hypocrites that try to save the whales and destroy society as we know it.

[l8c6]

They key SUV''''s, spray paint on fur and now burn down homes. Time to round ''''em up!

Posted by easeup

Hey you hillbilly moron, people you call "libs" also drive SUVs, and live in big houses.

[l8c6]

Well, it''s an ugly mess that this sort of activity takes place but it''s just as ugly if not uglier the arrogant indifference of profiteers who consume huge tracks of pristine countryside in an effort to satisfy the created and marketed demands of a warped perverse bought into out of touch misguided desire on the part of some to take on the illusion they will own a part of the earth and will have reached manna by investing often with debt on one of these monstrosities that when gathered together in a cul de sac of sorts look much less like "dream homes" and more like spit wads littering the countryside.

I lost a friend of 20 years this past weekend, a 56 year old to an apparent heart attack after he was sent home with pain killers and a diagnosis of having had a "silent heart attack".

Some investors and insurance corporation administrators can pocket the savings for not hospitalizing and intervening aggressively to save lives and put their private profits toward one of these cold boxes of gluttony but the meaning of life and love will not be found inside.

As a people instead of a toiling in search of a "street of dreams" we would be a happier people if we consumed less pain killers, anti-depressants, lived more simply and built communities of dreams instead of huge gaudy boxes of debt on acreage filled with the material fluff of electronic devices and mass produced clutter.

Our economy is built on much ado about nothing.

[zeezedzee]

In 1970 the US Population was 200 million people, by the year 2050 there''s expected to be 400 million in the US, where are they all going to go? This has to slow down somehow or we''re going to use up our planet. Isn''t that obvious?

[andor3]

hmmm... house prices dropping, investors in these homes seeing their value drop, but no doubt covered by a large insurance policy. the homes burn, the insurance company writes a check, and the ELF is conveniently blamed based on a hand-lettered sign.

Maybe it was the ELF, and I don''t fault them too much if so, but it seems a little too convenient.

[l8c6]

In 1970 the US Population was 200 million people, by the year 2050 there''''s expected to be 400 million in the US, where are they all going to go? This has to slow down somehow or we''''re going to use up our planet. Isn''''t that obvious?

Posted by zeeZedzee

Another perspective is to think less of what we an do to save the earth and more of what the earth will do to save its self. Aside from the people who choose the believe the earth is only 6k years old, it actually has been through immense changes over millions of years. Another plausible outcome is that the earth will change again to reach a new homeostasis after evolving and bringing forth new life. The difference after the changes will be it will have rid itself of the arrogant ingrate life forms that have brought it disease.

[l8c6]

Maybe it was the ELF, and I don''''t fault them too much if so, but it seems a little too convenient.

Posted by andor3


One never knows. 911 sure did come in handy for the global oil industry at taxpayer expense.

[l8c6]

ilikecats1, remember you''re from dust and to dust you shall return.

[l8c6]

Mentally ill hypocrites that molest others.

Posted by ilikecats1

Thou protest way too much. What else do you like in addition to cats?

[demslie]

Isn''t it amazing how quickly Democrats can make excuses for terrorism. Eco-Terrorists burn other peoples property but, its ok because they are Democrats therefore, they are nice people like us. Today, Chavez threatens WAR, supports terrorist groups like FARC and violates every civil right of his people. Yet the Democrats quickly come up with every excuse they can to support his point of view. IRAN wants to build atomic bombs to nuke our civilization back to the stone age. But, Democrats only get angry at Bush for saying we should do something about it. Even Saddam Hussein OBAMA is promising to do exactly what IRANIAN President Ahmadinejad has demanded and surrender as soon as he is elected. And this is the "New Change for America" that Saddam Hussein OBAMA, Hitlery and the Democraps have promised us

[l8c6]

ilikecats1, Thou protest too much. What else do you like in addition to cats?

[easeup-2009]

"Well, it''''s an ugly mess that this sort of activity takes place but it''''s just as ugly if not uglier the arrogant indifference of profiteers who consume huge tracks of pristine countryside in an effort to satisfy the created and marketed demands of a warped perverse bought into out of touch misguided desire on the part of some to take on the illusion they will own a part of the earth and will have reached manna by investing often with debt on one of these monstrosities that when gathered together in a cul de sac of sorts look much less like "dream homes" and more like spit wads littering the countryside."

Posted by l8c6 at 11:30 AM : Mar 03, 2008"

Wow. Do they let you post from your institution or are you posting from the library on one of your supervised visits?

[l8c6]

Wow. Do they let you post from your institution or are you posting from the library on one of your supervised visits?

Posted by easeup

Frustrated you cannot write? Though protest too much. I presume you meet sufficient criteria for an actual diagnosis.

[antoniof123]

And it has come home to roost.

[demslie]

Our population was 200 million when we built the last oil refinery. We are the only "modern" nation on earth that has not built are refinery in over 30 years or kept up with our countries energy needs because eco-terrorists and environmental nuts say so. Now our population is over 300 million and the Democrats still have only one solution to the problem. Everyone needs to live on a (Communist) Commune, smoke dope, hold hands and sing songs. And this is the "New Change for America" that Saddam Hussein OBAMA, Hitlery and the Democraps have promised us.

[l8c6]

easeup, remember you''re from dust and to dust you shall return.

[l8c6]

demslie, remember you''re from dust and to dust you shall return.

[zeezedzee]

Well at least the "hold hands and sing songs" part sounded like fun! :-~

[rushlimpdrug]

" . . will have reached manna by investing often with debt on one of these monstrosities that when gathered together in a cul de sac of sorts look much less like "dream homes" and more like spit wads littering the countryside."
Posted by l8c6 at 11:30 AM : Mar 03, 2008


I liked your post.
I had a friend that bought some land in CO. It was in a beautiful wildnerness area.
He cleared it, built a house and damm if he didn''t start having problems with wildlife.
Bears were the worst.
But all those wild animals were invading his land and weekend home.
I never understood it.

BTW, I post from an institution when they''re not looking.

[inventagod]

While burning four mansions is dangerous and illegal, the Bu$h example is far more destructive and extremist...

[l8c6]

Our population was 200 million when we built the last oil refinery. We are the only "modern" nation on earth that has not built are refinery in over 30 years or kept up with our countries energy needs because eco-terrorists and environmental nuts say so---demslie

Surely you are not so naive as to think the trillion dollar deregulated hands off oil industry has not built refineries because of environmental groups. If that''s the case then you''re one poster more naive than I can be myself.

[ralan40]

...I wonder what environmental damage burning these homes caused...
I guess recycling the homes was out of the question for these kooks.

The human brain is capapble of rationalizing anything...or somehow making it a political issue...

[rushlimpdrug]

"Our population was 200 million when we built the last oil refinery. . . .
Posted by demslie at 11:52 AM

This is the biggest lie coming out of reetarded conserv folk.
Sadly the people that repeat this lie are to stupid to know better.
Go figure.

[l8c6]

It''s an ugly mess that this sort of activity takes place however it''s likely uglier the arrogant indifference of profiteers who consume huge tracks of pristine countryside in an effort to satisfy the created and marketed demands of a warped perverse bought into out of touch misguided desire on the part of some to take on the illusion they will own a part of the earth and will have reached manna by investing often with debt on one of these monstrosities that when gathered together in a cul de sac of sorts look much less like "dream homes" and more like spit wads littering the countryside.

I lost a friend of 20 years this past weekend, a 56 year old to an apparent heart attack after he was sent home with pain killers and a diagnosis of having had a "silent heart attack".

Some investors and insurance corporation administrators can pocket the savings of denying hospitalization and aggressive intervention that saves lives and instead put their private profits toward one of these cold boxes of gluttony but the meaning of life and love will not be found inside.

As a people instead of a toiling in search of a "street of dreams" we would be a happier people if we consumed less pain killers, anti-depressants, lived more simply and built communities of dreams instead of huge gaudy boxes of debt on acreage filled with the material fluff of electronic devices and mass produced clutter.

Our economy is built on much ado about nothing.

[cdfoxtrot]

"ECO TERROR". I love it. Let''s make it nice and dramatic to scare the c*ra*p out of people. For no reason. Those tabloid editors at CBS must be back.

[l8c6]

easeup, remember you''re from dust and to dust you shall return.

[easeup-2009]

"easeup, remember you''''re from dust and to dust you shall return.

Posted by l8c6 at 12:19 PM : Mar 03, 2008"

"Dust in the wind. All we are is dust in the wind."

I liked "Carry On" better myself....

[rushlimpdrug]

There hasn%u2019t been a new refinery built in the U.S. since 1976, the result of extremely tight environmental restrictions, not-in-my-back-yard community opposition, and the high cost of new construction."
http://www.msnbc.msn.c
om/id/6019739/
Feeling dumber? Is that even possible?
Posted by easeup at 12:17 PM


The truth is far more complex.
It isn''t just building a refinery.
You like many others don''t know the why''s and how''s of building a refinery.
Also, refinery owners were TOTALLY against building new ones because of their own need for profit.
Imagine that.

[tireslinger]

Free speech = Violence and malicious destruction??!! Just HOW did that ever happen??!!

[demslie]

Like I said. Democrats have no answer to America''s energy problem except to call people stupid who disagree with them. France, the friend of every ******* and Democrat alike, has built so many Nuclear Power Plants that it exports extra power all over Europe. Yet, not one Democrat alive complains about the damage to the environment. We have not built a nuclear plant in over 25 years but, if Bush said he wanted to build a Nuclear plant, the Democrats would organize Assassination Squads. Its all about Democrats hating America. And this is the "New Change for America" that Saddam Hussein OBAMA, Hitlery and the Democraps have promised us.

[l8c6]

I liked "Carry On" better myself....

Posted by easeup

You really are not in as much control as you fool yourself to be.

[easeup-2009]

"You really are not in as much control as you fool yourself to be.

Posted by l8c6 at 12:39 PM : Mar 03, 2008"

If your definition of "control" is re-posting the same delusional ramblings over & over then yes, I am out of control.

[hadenufff]

It''s all BUSH''S fault. Everybody knows that! We should never ever cut a tree down. We should never ever kill a animal. We should never ever fish our oceans. We should never ever put up windmills to generate power. We should never ever build a nuclear reactor to produce energy. We should never ever use oil or products made from oil. We should all just crawl in a fuuckin hole and die.

[l8c6]

easeup, the repetition of your ideological bent certainly steered this country to the "greed is good" perversion that is dividing and poisoning our society.

[l8c6]

It''s an ugly mess that this sort of activity takes place however it''s likely uglier the arrogant indifference of profiteers who consume huge tracks of pristine countryside in an effort to satisfy the created and marketed demands of a warped perverse bought into out of touch misguided desire on the part of some to take on the illusion they will own a part of the earth and will have reached manna by investing often with debt on one of these monstrosities that when gathered together in a cul de sac of sorts look much less like "dream homes" and more like spit wads littering the countryside.

I lost a friend of 20 years this past weekend, a 56 year old to an apparent heart attack after he was sent home with pain killers and a diagnosis of having had a "silent heart attack".

Some investors and insurance corporation administrators can pocket the savings of denying hospitalization and aggressive intervention that saves lives and instead put their private profits toward one of these cold boxes of gluttony but the meaning of life and love will not be found inside.

As a people instead of a toiling in search of a "street of dreams" we would be a happier people if we consumed less pain killers, anti-depressants, lived more simply and built communities of dreams instead of huge gaudy boxes of debt on acreage filled with the material fluff of electronic devices and mass produced clutter.

Our economy is built on much ado about nothing.

[myshiba]

Deliberately set by someone who can no longer afford the mortgage (so they can collect the insurance).

[jesterbelle]

First,let me say I do not condone this.Don''t be surprised to see more stuff like this,if things don''t improve in this country.As more people feel alienated,and uncared for,there will be some with the attitude of "If I can''t have it,you aren''t going to either." People lose their fear of authority if it is shown to be weak or inept,especially if they have nothing to lose,and don''t care.I''m sure I''ll get blasted by someone,but if you ain''t been in the shoes I''ve described,you might want to give it a little thought before you open your mouth.

[gkc99]

The "greenest" house is one that isn'''' built!!! Think of all the forest that was razed as well as the timber that went into the houses being built." Posted by johnstossel


Forest fires (natural) add greatly to the greenhouse gases, while wood that is turned into lumber and put into houses contributes nothing to greenhouse gases as long as the house stands.

These ecoterror people have just added a big cloud of global-warming gases to our environment.

[hypnotoad72]

Why can''t the ELF people light themselves on fire? They are accomplishing nothing good by this... indeed, all the fire and carbon monoxide and other gasses -- is that not ADDING to the problem of which they CLAIM to fight?

MICROCEPHALIC IMBECILES!!!

[gkc99]

"Don''''t be surprised to see more stuff like this,if things don''''t improve in this country.As more people feel alienated,and uncared for,there will be some with the attitude of "If I can''''t have it,you aren''''t going to either." People lose their fear of authority if it is shown to be weak or inept,especially if they have nothing to lose,and don''''t care."


The ELFers and ecoterrorists have done everything in their power to destroy the mainstay of family-wage jobs in the Northwest, the timber industry. They are anti-labor.

[l8c6]

It''s very disappointing to take a situation where we''re tying to promote good building practices %u2014 Built Green practices %u2014 and that it''s destroyed. It''s extremely disappointing. I don''t understand the logic in that.
Doug Barnes, Northwest division president of Centex Homes

Hmm, sounds like a "limousine liberal" Using recycled products from organic materials while clearing the remaining forests of western Washington.

"libs" drive SUVs and live on acreage too.