Earth Liberation Front
The Earth Liberation Front, also known as the ELF, is an environmentalist group based on extremist ideology. Radical actions that have been taken in pursuit of this ideology have marked them as a terrorist organization. In fact, the FBI labeled them as the country’s most dangerous terrorist threat in 2001 (Jarboe, 2002).
Ideology
The ELF believe it is their responsibility to remove any threat to mother earth or the life on it. (green book) The front acknowledges normal economic protests have gained little support for the movement. And have resorted to radical actions. A major target for this is industries. Industries are seen as going to extremes for economic advancement while having no regard for the environment. Therefore, extreme measures must be taken to stop them. The solution is believed to be found in removing the “profit motive” from these industries. If the companies care only about money they would shut down if loss is inevitable. To the ELF the wilderness is humanities natural habitat. It is their home. In some states, if one invades one’s home, they are justified in killing them ( ). Thus, members believe the same. If industries invade this land to destroy it they are destroying their home. (VIDEO)
History
The front had its origins in Brighton, England. It began when members of Britain’s Earth First! were diverted on their policy on which to propagate their ideology. A group of Earth First! believed in civil nonviolent ways to support their beliefs whereas another group of members saw legal protest as accomplishing nothing (Szumski, 2005). They believed “in order to be successful in protecting mother earth more extreme tactics must be utilized.” (Cullman & Curry, 2011). The more radical group broke off creating what we now know today as the Earth Liberation Front. In 1992, their first meeting was gathered. (Szumski, 2005) Their ideology grew in popularity and soon members were found in numerous countries. By the mid-1990’s multiple cells were established in the United States. What started as an international group turned into the country’s biggest domestic terrorist threat by 2001. (Jarboe, 2002)
Organization
Similar to most terrorist organizations in the U.S. the ELF is a leaderless resistance. Meaning there is no form of hierarchy, chain of command or centralized location. It must rely on small groups consisting of three to five people to plan and carry out its attacks. These groups, called cells, work anonymously and independently from one another (Pickering, 2007). This form of resistance created both advantages and disadvantages. For example, the front is forced to rely on it’s ideology for its continuation. If the ideology loses popularity the front would dissolve. It may even cease to exist. ( ) To it’s advantage independent cells make the organization hard to counter. “If one individual or even an entire cell is captured by authorities, other individuals and cells will be free to continue their work as they operate independently and anonymously from another” (Szumski, 2005, p.101). Because cells work both independently and anonymously from one another it makes members hard to identify, track, and predict. In addition, even if a member or even an entire cell was arrested it would not have an influential impact on the organization itself. This makes it harder for law enforcement to stop the group. In fact, some argue eliminating the front in its entirety is impossible ( ).
Tactics
Since the birth of the Earth Liberation Front, they have claimed responsibility for, numerous attacks. Over six-hundred crimes have been committed by the front from 1996 to 2002, resulting in $43 million in damages (Leader, 2010). Multiple tactics are used to accomplish this. One consistently being proven useful is arson. Arson on industrial sites is popular among the members not only for its propaganda value but also as a way to physically “help stop the slaughter of Mother Earth” (BLM 1997-2002 p.11) Members also set fire to SUV dealerships to protest gas usage. They have also partnered with ALF to burn research labs. (60 minutes) Other forms of monkeywrenching include placing nails in trees to deter lumbar companies. Trenches have been dug to blockade logging truck access into the forest. And substances such as sugar and salt are poorer into bulldozers to destroy them. (IATF)
Acts of Terror
On November of 1997, the front claimed responsibility for an attack for the first time (Szumski, 2005). The Bureau of Land Management Horse Corral in Oregon was removing non-native animals from public land, which included horses. ELF believed the Bureau was supporting the beef industry by allowing thousands of non-native cattle to stay on these areas. They announced in an official statement “this [is] hypocrisy and genocide against the horse nation [and it] will not go unchallenged.” (Pickering, 2007, p.42) On the twenty-third of November, an anonymous cell released four hundred eighty-eight wild horsed and set the bureau on fire. Resulting in over $450,000 in damages (Pickering, 2007).
Numerous attacks followed. In 1997 two men damaged thirty-six sports cars at a dealership. Groups set fire to the U.S. Forest Industries headquarters in Medford, Oregon in 1998 and again in 1999. It is estimated $800,000 was lost in the attack (Pickering, 2007). $7 million costs in damages resulted from a firebomb at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture in 2001. And in 2009 members knocked down radio towers near Seattle. (history.org) Not only is there a plethora of records on the fronts attacks, but there are also many more incidences that occurred that the front did not take credit for.
Probably the most famous is their attack on a ski resort in Colorado. On October 19, 1998, members of the Earth Liberation Front set fire to five buildings on a Vail ski resort. The Vail Resorts, Inc is the largest ski corporation in North America. Of the five buildings, two were elk restraints. Four chairlifts were also destroyed. (history.org) The morning after ELF made a statement to Vail Co. “This action is just a warning. We will be back if this greedy cooperation continues to trespass into wild and unloaded areas. For your safety and convenience, we strongly advise skiers to choose other destinations until Vail cancels its inexcusable plans for expansion.” ( ).
Membership
Since 1997 members of the front have been steadily increasing in numbers ( green book ). It is safe to presume it they will continue to do so. There are little requirements to become a member of the ELF. All one must do is follow a set of guidelines and perform actions in correspondence. The guidelines are as follows: 1.) “To cause as much damage as possible to a given entity that is profiting from the destruction of the natural environment and life for selfish greed and profit.” 2.) “To educate the public on the atrocities committed against the environment and life.” 3.) To take all necessary precautions against harming life.” (p43) On top of these members must do two other things. They must care about the planet such that action will take place, and they must see environmental protection as self-defense. Front members believe nature is humanities true home. If oil, lumbar, or any industry destroys nature they are destroying their home. It would be reasonable to protect one's house from destruction by any means necessary. In fact, in some states, if one invades your home uninvited one is justified in killing them. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to members to protect nature at all costs. (p44) Breaking the law is not looked down upon or even considered criminal. In fact, it is looked on as bravery. To them, society's laws that do not protect the environment are inherently wrong and therefore it would be wrong to abide by them. (the politics of radical environmentalists). Although the Earth Liberation Front is known and stands on violence as its primary form of protest, certain guidelines are given. Members target companies and industries believed to be harming the environment. However, steps are taken to ensure people are not hurt during their destructive acts. (ELF DOCUMENTARY). If all these are done membership can be acquired.
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front, or ALF, is widely known as the sister organization to the Earth Liberation Front since 1993 (FIB). Both fronts have assisted another in several attacks. As the name suggests, the Animal Liberation Front focuses primarily on animal preservation. Compared to the ELF this front takes a less radical approach in their attacks. Destroying labs, protesting burger joints, and setting captive animals free are their main forms of propaganda. Although, tactics such as arson and vandalism are still used (FBI ALF).