Defense: Arsonist fell under spell of ecoterrorism guru

[n2doc]

Defense: Arsonist fell under spell of ecoterrorism guru
Judge sentences her to nine years

By JEFF BARNARD
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

EUGENE, Ore. -- As an idealistic girl of 16, Chelsea Gerlach went with her parents' blessing to an Earth First! encampment in Idaho, where she came under the "Svengali-like" spell of an older man who called himself Avalon -- after the mythical island where King Arthur went after his death.

According to defense lawyers, the charismatic leader of a Eugene-based cell of the Earth Liberation Front known as The Family exploited the feelings of the teenage girl at a vulnerable age to persuade her to join his campaign of arson intended to strike fear in communities across the West.

U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken took note Friday of the victimization and sentenced Gerlach to nine years in prison, one year less than the prosecution's recommendation. The judge said she still had to pay for her crimes but deserved to have hope of redeeming her life after strong cooperation with investigators after her arrest.

Gerlach, 30, is the third of 10 members of the Eugene-based cell of the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front to be sentenced. All have pleaded guilty to conspiracy and arson charges.

Gerlach was convicted of helping set fires at the Vail, Colo., ski resort, at a meat company and police substation in Eugene, Ore., at a tree farm near Clatskanie, Ore., and at a lumber company office in Monmouth, Ore., and of toppling a high-voltage transmission line tower outside Bend, Ore.

more:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/317404_ecoterror26.html

[leveymg]

1. Call them eco-arsonists, or SUV killers, but don't label them as "terrorists"

The term, "ecoterrorism" really does damage to the English language and any rational definition of terrorist. If they go out of their way to avoid serious injury to human beings, they aren't terrorists.

I can see why real estate developers, along with timber and pharma companies might want the FBI and the courts to come down heavy on these people. Misdirection of resouces by politically well-conected commercial interests.

[villager]

2. Your analysis is right on the "money"

These arsonists are called "terrorists" in order to conflate them with actual terrorists, and further, to shut down any meaningful resistance to the Earth's destruction -- the most effective of which, is to touch the "ruiners" (As Il Dunce might call them) in the pocketbook...