FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2006

Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Lieration Front (ELF) Members Indicted by Federal Grand Jury on Conspiracy and Arson Charges

PORTLAND, OREGON - United States Attorney Karin J. Immergut announced today that a grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, has returned a 65-count indictment charging eleven (11) defendants with conspiracy and related offenses covering arsons and attempted arsons that occurred from l996 through 200l in Oregon and four other Western states. The indictment alleges that the defendants, who called themselves "The Family", acted as a cell of groups commonly referred to as the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). This case was jointly investigated by the FBI, ATF, Eugene Police Department, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Police, and Lane County Sheriff's Office.

According to the indictment, by their actions the defendants sought to influence and affect the conduct of government, private business, and the civilian population through force, violence, sabotage, mass destruction, intimidation and coercion, and to retaliate against government and private businesses by similar means.

"I want to praise the hard work of all participating law enforcement agencies in this case. Because of their relentless efforts to solve these cases, after nine years, we are finally able to begin the process of holding the appropriate environmental extremists responsible," stated U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut.

Arsons and related crimes included in the conspiracy charges are:

(1) October 28, 1996 - arson and attempted arson at the U.S. Forest Service's Detroit Ranger Station in Detroit, Oregon;
(2) October 30, 1996 - arson at the U.S. Forest Service's Oakridge Ranger Station near Oakridge, Oregon;
(3) July 21, 1997 - arson at Cavel West, Inc. in Redmond, Oregon;
(4) November 30, 1997 - arson at the Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Facility near Burns, Oregon;
(5) June 21, 1998 - arson at the National Wildlife Research Facility in Olympia, Washington;
(6) October 11, 1998 - attempted arson at the Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse Holding Facility near Rock Springs, Wyoming;
(7) October 19, 1998 - arson at the Vail Ski Facility in Eagle County, Colorado;
(8) December 22 and 27, 1998 - arson and attempted arson at U.S. Forest Industries, Medford, Oregon;
(9) May 9, 1999 - arson at Childers Meat Company, Eugene, Oregon;
(l0) December 25, 1999 - arson at the office of the Boise Cascade Company in Monmouth, Oregon;
(11) December 30, 1999 - destruction of an energy facility high-voltage tower near Bend, Oregon;
(12) September 6, 2000 - arson at the Eugene, Oregon, Police Department West University Public Safety Station;
(13) January 2, 2001 - arson at Superior Lumber Company, Glendale, Oregon;
(14) March 30, 2001 - arson and destruction of 35 trucks and SUVs at Joe Romania Chevrolet Truck Center, Eugene, Oregon;
(15) May 21, 2001 - arson and attempted arson at the Jefferson Poplar Farm, Clatskanie, Oregon;
(16) May 21, 2001 - arson at the University of Washington Horticulture Center, Seattle, Washington;
(17) October 15, 2001 - arson at the Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse Facility, Litchfield, California.

Six of the defendants charged in the conspiracy were charged in other federal indictments in the last two months covering Oregon arsons and destruction of an energy facility: Chelsea Dawn Gerlach, age 28; Sarah Kendall Harvey, age 28; Daniel Gerard McGowan, age 31; Stanislas Gregory Meyerhoff, age 28; Josephine Sunshine Overaker, age 31; and Kevin Tubbs, age 36.

Additional defendants in the new conspiracy indictment are: Joseph Dibee, age 38; Jonathan Mark Christopher Paul, age 39; Rebecca Rubin, age 32; Suzanne Savoie, age 28; and Darren Todd Thurston, age 34. Eight defendants were arrested prior to indictment, and Dibee, Overaker and Rubin are believed to be outside the United States.

The indictment states that the group committed arsons with improvised incendiary devices made from milk jugs, petroleum products and homemade timers in a series of attacks in the five states. The targets of these attacks included U.S. Forest Service ranger stations, Bureau of Land Management wild horse facilities, meat processing companies, lumber companies, a high-tension power line, and a ski facility in Colorado. The indictment alleges that the group claimed to be acting on behalf of ALF and ELF.

An indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants named in this indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

To see a copy of the indictment click here.

The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ray in Eugene, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Engdall in Eugene, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen F. Peifer in Portland. For further information, contact Diane Peterson, Public Information Officer, at 503-727-l066.