Update below.
Neither the Seattle Times nor the Seattle Post-Intelligencer are high on your average conservative's daily to-read list, but at least the latter is not gun-shy about calling recent suspected Earth Liberation Front (ELF) arsons acts of eco-terrorism.
The Times opted for "radical environmentalists" to tag ELF even though it's pretty clear that investigators clearly think the Street of Dreams fires in Snohomish County, Wash., are terroristic in nature. As reporter Steve Miletich noted in paragraph seven of his March 4 article, "Hunt is on: Who torched the Street of Dreams?":
Working with few clues, federal investigators face a daunting task as they try to determine whether a shadowy group of radical environmentalists torched three multimillion-dollar homes along a Street of Dreams in Snohomish County on Monday.
[...]
The FBI is investigating the fires as a possible "domestic terrorism act," said FBI spokesman Fred Gutt in Seattle. The Snohomish County sheriff's Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives also are participating as part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
By contrast the Seattle P-I, as it did in Web reporting yesterday, did not relegate charges of terrorism to dismissive quote marks:
ECHO LAKE -- As arson investigators sift through the charred remains of multimillion-dollar "dream" homes in a wooded subdivision near here, some builders are wondering if their luxury homes could be the next target of eco-terrorists.
[...]
The FBI said the fires are being investigated as potential acts of domestic terrorism. Agents from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and regional Joint Terrorism Task Force were assisting local authorities.
Update (14:47): Seattle P-I "Big Blog" editor Mónica Guzmán notes that most P-I readers approve of the paper tagging ELF as an eco-terror group.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters















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Comments Policy
Don't hold your breath
March 4, 2008 - 16:32 ET by fitzfongDon't hold your breath waiting for the Seattle Times to portray the ELF terrorists as terrorists. They're in bed with the eco-parasites.
Liberal Journalists Revere Terrorists and Dictators
March 4, 2008 - 17:25 ET by deerjerkydaveLiberal journalists have no problem playing "hardball" with American Republican politicians, but kiss the feet of dictators and terrorists. Does this make sense to anyone?
These psychos at ELF are terrorising neighborhoods to scare families and businesses into recognizing their extreme agenda. They put people at risk with these fires and fire fighters have to get in harms way to battle these blazes. If this isn't terrorism then I must be living in a drug induced dream like world.
Do the the neophytes over at ELF realize how much pollution is generated in these blazes? That is a boat load of uncontrolled CO2 going into the atmosphere. Just like when they torched the Hummer dealerships. Car tires alone produce a LOT of pollution when they burn. The IRONY is that their tactics actually harm the environment in their efforts to protect it! It would be like PETA killing animals to protect them from fur coat manufacturers (oh wait, I think PETA actually did that). I tell you these single celled organisms need to be locked up for a very long time. Or at least they need to stop using the hard drugs, its messing up their ability to think.
PI and Times needlessly kill trees
March 4, 2008 - 17:25 ET by Republican_by_DefaultIt's not surprising that the times wouldn't want to draw attention to itself while the eco-terrorists are in a frenzy. They kill trees for no particular purpose. It's certainly not to inform. All it's really good for is to provide fish wrap in Pike Place market.
There are a lot of 'urbanists' in Puget Sound. They push expensive Light Rail projects and high-density urban residential construction. But, as liberals, they never think things through. So they end up encouraging the crazies among them to do stupid things like commit crimes of arson and vandalism.
I don't think they get that a) they're contributing to the craziness or, b) that it's bad PR for their cause. Will they ever get a clue?
They're just radicals -until someone gets killed
March 4, 2008 - 17:56 ET by not_lima_HSee the FBI’s list of wanted domestic terrorist. Three are members of ELF, one a member of ELF and ALF (Animal Liberation Front), and one just listed as an animal rights activist. These are serious criminals and the Seattle Times is just condoning that fact.
These kooks are not just
March 4, 2008 - 19:25 ET by NL207These kooks are not just radicals. They are arsonists. Arson is a crime second in severity only to murder in most jurisdictions. Why? Beacause arson altogether too often ends in someone's death.
When one of these Kooks finally gets caught...
March 5, 2008 - 00:45 ET by JoggerNotI want to see a pic of their personal abode...ya know, The home spread, The safe house. I bet I wont see a corrigated tin shack targeted by big oil, Isreal, or any others. Bet what I do see, though, WAIT...reverse that.. MSM,um ...Well, there you have it folks..We will proll'y never know what conditions these poor, poor, viro nutjobs live in.
But I have faith in / MSM to lie /
*spit*