-Caveat Lector- > N.Y. Police Search for Arsonists > > By PAT MILTON, Associated Press Writer > > MOUNT SINAI, N.Y. (AP) - Warning ``If you build it, we will burn > it,'' a > radical environmental group opposed to urban sprawl has claimed > responsibility for the burning of three luxury houses under > construction on > what was one of Long Island's last remaining farms. > > A small explosive device was set off over the weekend, causing up to > $30,000 > in damage to each home. No one was injured. > > ``This hopefully provided a firm message that we will not tolerate > the > destruction of our island,'' the Earth Liberation Front said a > statement > faxed to The Associated Press on Sunday. > > Police also believe the ELF is responsible for millions of dollars in > arson > and vandalism to six other unoccupied homes on Long Island over the > past > month. > > Police, the district attorney's office and the FBI (news - web sites) > have > formed a task force to investigate the fires and identify the members > of the > loosely constructed environmental group. > > ``This is not an environmental action. This is a criminal act,'' > Suffolk > County Police Commissioner John Gallagher said Wednesday. ``I am > concerned > with their latest statement that everything we build that they deem > environmentally sensitive, they will destroy.'' > > The Long Island Builders Institute has offered a $10,000 reward for > the > arrest and conviction of those responsible for the weekend vandalism. > > The ELF, acting at times with the Animal Liberation Front, has > claimed > responsibility for dozens of actions across the country since 1996, > including a 1998 blaze at a Vail, Colo., ski resort that caused $12 > million > in damage. The environmental group said the expansion project > threatened > lynx. > > ``They want to stop endless devastation of the American landscape by > overdevelopment,'' said Craig Rosebraugh of Portland, Ore., who > identifies > himself as ELF's spokesman but says he is not a member. He said the > group's > leaders communicate with him by a variety of means that preserve > their > anonymity. > > The homes targeted over the weekend at the Island Estates Development > were > being built on a former peach farm. A message had been scrawled in > red paint > on one of the houses: ``If you build it, we will burn it.'' > > In 1998, Suffolk County had 34,000 acres of agriculture land. At the > current > rate of development, land-use experts say, only 9,000 acres will > remain by > 2015. > > Another environmental group dedicated to saving Long Island's open > space > called the damage ``worse than pointless.'' > > ``They don't have to commit random acts of violence to let people > know that > Long Island's overdeveloped, since everyone knows we are,'' said Dick > Amper, > executive director of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society. > > ``Should we burn down people's houses about it? No. We should > probably throw > some politicians out of office,'' he added. > > The ELF, which maintains a Web site out of Canada, also claims to > have > caused millions in damage nationwide. > > ``We are trying to cause the rich sprawl corporation enough money so > they > stop destroying the planet, and thus the health and well-being and > existence > of humankind,'' the group's statement said. ``The Earth isn't dying, > it's > being killed. And those who are killing it have names and > addresses.'' __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online! http://photos.yahoo.com/ <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
