20110318 RCMP Report on Environmental Criminal Extremism

8/9/2019 20110318 RCMP Report on Environmental Criminal Extremism

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Environmental Criminal Extremismand Canada s Energy Sector 2

Environmentalism 3

History of Canadian Environmental Extremism 4

Motivat ion- Passive to Aggressive 6

Motivat ion- Passive to Aggressive 6

Environmental Inspi red Criminal Threats to the Energy Sector 8

Intent and Capability: 12

Impact 2

Conclusion 3

ecommendations 3

Endnotes 14

Appendix 18

Note Information and analysis contained in this report may be subject to change

Une copie de ce produit est disponible en franc; a s sur demande



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ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMINAL EXTREMISMAND CANADA'S ENERGY SECTOR

Scientific studies indicate a direct correlation between greenhouse gas emissions and

climate change. Environmentalists assert climate changeis

now the most serious globalenvironmental threat. Its potential impacts include global warming, a rise in sea levels,increased extreme weather events, and altered rainfall patterns; and that climate changeis a direct consequence o f elevated greenhouse gas emissions.

Since greenhouse gas emissions are emitted from fossil fuel burning, the energy sectoris assessed by many as the biggest contributors to climate change.

Many foreign governments, international NGOs, academia, and individuals, routinelychastise Canada for its energy policies that permit the use of fossil and nuclear fuels,and that permit the continued exploitation o f the Alberta Oil Sands, at the risk o finHicting irreparable damage to the global environment.

The Canadian law enforcement and security intelligence community have noted a

growing radicalized environmentalist faction within Canadian society whois

opposedto Canada s energy sector. Individuals within this fringe element are possibly inspired

and motivated y erroneous information and inHammatory rhe to r i c - often attributed

to credible people - that negatively exaggerates Canada s contribution to climate

change.

Outwardly, environmental activists present a relatively benign threat, and it is often

difficult to justify initiating criminal invesdgations associated actions thar promote

the protection o f the global environment. However, since the early 1980s, Canadian

law-enforcement agencies have investigated a number o f occurrences, including some

involving violence, associated to radicalized environmentalists.

These radicalized individuals have the expressed intent and demonstrated capability

to engage in criminal activity with the objectives to: inHuence federal and provincialgovernments; interfere within the energy sector regulatory process; and, force the

private energy sector corporations to change their business operations so they do not

inflict harm to the global environment.

In the shadow o f this growing criminal phenomenon is the indisputable fact that

Canadians are dependent upon energy sector corporations to provide an uninterrupted

supply of energy to ensure the health and safety of Canadians and to sustain the

Canadian and U.S. economies. And o f equal importance, fossil and nuclear fuels willcontinue to be important sources of Canada s energy for the foreseeable future, and the

development of the Oil Sands is vital for the health o f the Canadian economy.

While the private sector is required to be prepared for all hazards, most often in

accordance with federal and provincial regulations, it does not have ready access to

criminal intelligence that will identify potential and/or credible criminal threats.]herefore t is incumbent upon the appropriate federal and provincial authorities to

share responsibility for the protection o f Canada s energy sector with the private energysector stakeholders.

]h is assessment will provide an overview o f environmental criminal extremism and itsthreat to Canada s energy sector.



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ENVIRONMENTALISM

Environmentalism is rooted in the study o f the ecological branch o f biology which is

define d as: attempr to understand the relationship berween living organisms and theirenvironment. 1

Encyclopedia Britannica defines environmentalism as:

The adoption of forms of political, economic, and social organization that are thought to benecessary for or at least conducive to the benign treatment of the environment by humans;and through a reassessment of humanity s relationship with nature. In various waysenvironmentalism claims th t living things other than humans nd the naturalenvironment s a whole are deservin g of consideration in reasoning bout the mor lity

of political economic nd social policies.

By nature, humans are environmentalists. From the dawn o f ime, humans have utilized

technology and science to manipulate the natural environment to ensure our health and

safety. Actions as simple as the processing of trash, the development of sewage systems,the purification o f water, and the use o f fenilizers, are examples o f hu manhy s use oftechnology and science to manage their environment.

Environmentalism also includes the realization that technological and scientificadvancements meant to aid humans, if not properly managed, may in fact be a threat

to our natural environment.

Environmentalism should not be a divisive issue as there are no gains if the environmentis destroyed. Today, sound business practice should include initiatives to protect the

environment. Corporations in North America, Europe, Japan, and in most newlyindustrializing nations are embracing environmental protection as part o f their

international competitive strategies. For many, the shift to proactive environmental

management is driven by pressures from governments, customers, employees, and

competitors. Both consumers and investors are beginning to see more clearly the

relationship between business performance and environmental quality. The trend

toward proactive environmental management is being accelerated by public pressureson governments almost everywhere to assure a cleaner environment.

Government regulations have become more stringent, legal liabilities for environmental

damage have become more burdensome, and customers have become more demanding.

In many countries, the public has become more vocal in demanding responsibleenvironmental performance. Calls for responsible corporate behavior are coming

from investors, insurers, environmental interest groups, financial institutions, and

international trading partners. 2

lv1ost environmentalists are supportive o f the technological and scientific advancements

that have improved our health and safety standards and our natural environment. Manyalso caution that if the advancement o f our technical and scientific initiatives outpaces

our understanding of the impacts to the environment, then these initiatives should not

be advanced. Regardless, if there is a remote chance that human actions may adverselyimpact the natural environment the adage, if in doubt leave out, should prevail.

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The death f approximately

18 ducks in the tailing

ponds f the Alberta Oil Sands

in April 2008 and the April

2010 explosion on board the

BP Deepwater Horizon which

resulted in the death of eleven

platform workers nd the

spillage of millions of iters of oil

into the Gulf of Mexico, are two

of m ny incidents th t provide

un-refutable justification for

environmentalists th t society

should n t blindly trust the

industry s ability or willingness

to protect the environment.




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HISTORY OF CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL EXTREMISM

There is no definitive date w identify the onset o f environmental extremism within

Canada. 'There are noteworthy events that may be associated to the evolution of the

international environmental movement o f today.

Not that long ago it was assumed that the air and rivers had an infinite capacityto absorb waste, and there was an endless source o f cheap petroleum products. t

was also not that long ago that anyone who engaged in environmental activism wasconsidered anti-business, anti-progress and anti-establishment and their causes wereshunted to the side.

The Industrial Revolution, (Great Brh:ain and Europe 1770s marked a major turning

point in the Earth's ecology and humanity's relationship with their environment.

Coal replaced water, wind and wood to fuel the textile and iron works factories. rlheuse of coal dramatically changed every aspect o f human life but its impacts on the

environment would not be recognized until the early 1960s.

]he 1960's ushered in an era o f social activism that included environmental avirareness

concerns. Within North America, air and water pollu tion were identified as potentialenvironmental problems as smog blanketed the air above major cities, the Great

Lakes were polluted and dying, radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing

spread across the U.S. Midwest, and the wide use o f pesticides was linked to health

risks. t was also during the 1960's that many believed that the increasing globalpopulation, which was considered as the root cause of pollution\ would inevitablylead to mass starvation.

In 1962, Rachel Carson, a writer, scientist, and ecologist; published, the Silent L) pringwhich challenged the U.S. chemical industry's use of pesticides that threatened

both wildlife and humans, and called for a change in the way humans viewed itsinteractions with the natural environment. While the book was attacked by many,many others were shocked to learn o f the effects o f pesticides within the natural

environmem and, Ms. Carson's efforts were instrumental in rhe banning o f DDT.Because o f Silent L) pring, many were introduced to ideas o f environmentalism that

have become common today including the understanding o f pollution, conservation,and ecology.

During the early 1970's environmentalism became a respectable political issuewith widespread support. ]1le first Earth Day was held in the U.S. on April 22,1970, (which is now considered the birth of the environmental movement), when

thousands o f colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration

o f the environment. Groups that had been fighdng against oil spills, factories rhat

belched pollutants, the dispersal o f raw sewage, toxic dumps, use o f pesticides,freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized theyshared common values. Canada held its first Earth Day on April 22, 1990, as it

joined 200 million people in 4 nations in celebrating the first International EarthDay, which is now held annually on April22 d

The tactic of linking environmental protest to violence may be sourced to a 1977

incident when the then Marxist, Lyndon LaRouche 4 told police that acts o f

violence were planned during protests against the construction o f a nuclear reactorat Seabrook, New Hampshire. While no violence was involved within this specific



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protest, it provided an indication to the Federal Bureau o f Investigation that violencemay be used to promote environmental change.

It was also in 1977, when John Hanna 5 , the self professed founder of he Environmental

Life Force 6 , and who admitted to being inspired by the writings o f Ms. Carson andDr. Robert van den Bosch 7 initiated the use of direct actions 8 to stop the use of pesticideswithin the agriculture industry. In May, 1977 Mr. Hanna was arrested and charged bythe U.S. Bureau o f Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for placing incendiary devices on

seven crop dusters at the airport in Salinas, California, in addition to other criminal

charges relating to his underground activities.

Messrs. LaRouche's and Hanna s actions proved that the mere mention of or, the use o f

violence could be used to draw attention to the impending environmental threats, andmay have assisted moving environmentalism from irrelevant to the stature it commands

today.

Environmental activism within Canada evolved in parallel with the U.S. experiencemost notably commencing with the formation o f Greenpeace in Vancouver in 1971.Greenpeace was originally formed to protest against the U.S. testing of nuclear weaponsin Alaskan waters. Since 1971, Green peac e has grown to be an independent globalactivist organization with a 2009 income o f approximately 199,857,000 (Euros)'\ and

that according to its website: acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and

conserve the environment and to promote peace. In 1977, members o f Greenpeacelead by Paul Watson, a Canadian citizen, broke from Greenpeace to form the SeaShepherd Conservation Society 10

•

The decades following the 1970s, saw the steady growth of the international

environmentalism movement, culminating today in the widely dispersed opposition to

the industrial complexes that are perceived to be threats to the natural environment,

and to a great degree, focusing on Canada s energy and environmental policies which

permit the use o f fossil and nuclear fuels, and that promote the development of the

infrastructure that supports the Alberta Oil Sands.

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s.16 1) a)

here is a small but growing

number of persons who may

be influenced or possibly

radicalized by the often

reported erroneous informat ion

and inflammatory rhetoric -

often attributed to credible

individuals that depicts:

he energy sector as the most

significant threat to the global

environment;

Humans are inflicting

irreparable harm to the

environment and that direct

actions must be taken to halt

this harm;

Canada s energy industries

are a threat tothe

globalenvironment; and,

he federal and provincial

energy policies that: promote

the continued development of

the Oil Sands; Canada s fossil

and nuclear fuel industry; and

offshore petroleum activities-

facilitate the destruction of the

globa l environment.




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MOTIVATION - PASSIVE TO AGGRESSIVE

Climate change is a widely discussed and hotly debated topic. Ardent environmentalists

assert climate change is now the most serious global environmental threat. Itspotential impacts include global warming, sea level rise, increased extreme weather

events, and altered rainfall patterns; and that climate change is a direct consequence

o f elevated man made greenhouse gas emissions. Since greenhouse gas emissions areemitted from fossil fuel burning, the Canadian energy sector is assessed by many asthe biggest contributor to climate change.

As a general rule, most Canadians have embraced environmentalism in some form

and are confident that the enactment of stringent government regulations and

environmental protection legislation, as well as industry standards ensures that

Canada s energy sector does not threaten the environment.

However, many foreign governments, international NGOs, academia, and

individuals, do not share rhis confidence and roudnely chastise Canada for its energy

and environmental policies. These policies permit the use of fossil and nuclear fuels,and that promote the continued exploitation o f the Alberta Oil Sands, that are

reportedly destroying the natural environmental and that contribute to the globalgreenhouse gas emissions.

The most ardent environmentalisrs believe there is an urgent and pressing need to

stop the destruction o f the environment. And amongst these environmentalists,

the Canadian law enforcement and security intelligence community have noted agrowing radicalized 12 faction of environmentalists who advocate the use o f criminal

activity to promote the protection of the natural environment.

The growth o f social activism has been greatly aided by the Internet, which may

contain the source ofinspiration or motivation to prompt the movement from passiveto aggressive actions. Multiple Internet websites provide inflammatory rhetoric 5

which is often attributed to credible individuals; and erroneous information 4

that

grossly exaggerates the impact of Canada s energy sector's contributions to climate

change.

This information may prompr act1v1sts to engage in criminal activhy, or as the

following example demonstrates, sway or encourage politicians to invoke unnecessary

and possibly harmful legislation.

Within an issue as contentious to some as climate change, the City o f Waterloo votedto eliminate fluoride from the c i ~ y sdrinkin g water. Contrary to the Ontario's hief

Medical Officer o f }{eafth's aHessment that fluorida tion is «one o f he greatest pub lichealth achievements o f he 20'r, century, and, a Health Canada panel o f experts that

found that fluoride was safi in the drinking water at current recommended levelsand was an ejf'ectiue tool in the fight against tooth decay, p ubl ic pressure forced theWaterloo Cit)' Council to eliminate fluoride from the drin king water. 5

On the an ti-fluoride side: < People are starting to realize that h e r e ~ ·no - c i e n c esupportingdrinking fluoridated water and there-'s no .'lcience supporting that t ~ lsafo) said RobertFleming, o f he group Canadians Opposed to Fluoridation that launched the anti-



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fluoride campaign in Waterfoo and is trying to court other municipalities across thecountry. '/ nd people are getting angry. The group launched a two-.year battle to oustfluoride after two residents complained the)' had serious· health complications from

fluoride . \ensitivit) > culminating in a public re_forendum la. \t month that narrowlysupported getting rid o f he additive.

And on the pro-fluoride ~ · i d e :The incoming head o f he Ontario Dental Associationwarned the decision sets a dangerous precedent by allowing a smal l minority of eople,using questionable ~ · c i e n c edownloaded off he Internet) to e.fjfxt dramatic change onpublic-health policy. My greatest fear here is with the advent o f he Internet, and

with the advent of social media, that a smal l vocal minority of ndividuals who areperhaps misinformed are able to reach a great number of people, said Dr. HarryHoediono, the associationS incoming president and a dentist in Waterloo. 17

Although "virtually'' every Waterloo councillor supports fluoridation, rheyvoted unanimously to remove it because they wanted to respect the results o f the

referendum, said regional chairman Ken Seiling, who blamed fluoride supporters,

including the area's dentists, for not mounting a more effective public awarenesscampaign. I think this is really most unfortunate and, quite frankly, I don't accept alot o f the information put fOrward by the anti-fluoridation group," Mr. Seiling said.

But I have to live with the results." 18

As this example o f social activism demonstrates, politicians may be compelled to act

against their best judgement if rhe electorate mounts an effective campaign, based in

some cases, on questionable information.

Radicalization at the most extreme:

j\/othing ~ ·more importan t than · v i n gthe Lions) Tigers) Giraffes, Elephants, f<Toggies,

Turtles) Apn Raccoons, Beetles) A n t ~ :Sharks, Bears, and) o f ourse, the Squirrels. Thehumans? 7he planet does not need humans.

]h is quotation was extracted from the manifesto o f James Jay Lee, a mentally

unbalanced individual who was shot and killed by the police on September I, 2010,during his occupation of the Discovery Television studios in a suburb Washington,D C

Reponedly, Lee was influenced by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore's book; An

Inconvenient Truth; and after viewing the documentary:

Lee said at the time that he experienced an awakening when he watched ormer VicePresidentAl GoreS environme ntal documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. 19

I t is assessed that select individuals or organizations will continue to use the Internet

and other forms o f mass communication to provide information that negativelydepicts the energy sector. I t is also possible that people similar to Lee will be

influenced by what they read on the Internet and who may be prompted to engage in

criminal activity to do their part to protect the environment.

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ENVIRONMENTAL INSPIRED CRIMINAL THREATS TO THEENERGY SECTOR

Environmental ideologically motivated individuals including some who are aligned

with a radical, criminal extremist ideology pose a clear and present criminal threat

to Canada s energy sector.

Humans are characterized as a cancer on the E arth .. o f all the components o f theecosystem humans are the only ones we know to be completely optional·: 2

The RCMP investigates criminal acdvity and those individuals who engage in it, but

does not investigate organizations or individuals engaged in lawful protests or those

who engage in acts oflegitimate dissent.

There are two categories ofindividuals who pose a criminal threar to Canada s energy

sector.

• Non-violent criminal activists are those who act on their own or in concert with

others or within or on behalf of an organization and who actively engage in

non-violent criminal actions. Within Canada these individuals advocate and

have a demonstrated capability to engage in criminal behaviour i.e. trespassing,

vandalism, mischief and other forms o f non-violent crime to promote change.

• Violent criminal extremists are those who act on their own or in concert with

others or within or on behalf o f an organization and who promote and activelyengage in violent actions. Within Canada these individuals advocate and have ademonstrated capability to engage in violent criminal behaviour i.e. vandalism,

break and enters, arson, improvised explosive devices, to promote change.

There is another category o f environmentalists, which includes any individual acting

on their own or in concert with others or within an organization that advocateschange through lawful means and/or engages in legitimate and lawful dissent. Theseindividuals are not oflaw enforcement interest and will not be included within this

assessment.

Al Qaida and similar religiously inspired rerrorist organizadons are of significantconcern to the law-enforcement, security intelligence agencies and the private sector.Most security precautions, policies, procedures, developed and implemented within

Canada since 9/11, have been completed to prepare for and respond to potential

criminal threats associated to religiously inspired terrorist.

In reality, criminal occurrences attributed to environmentalists have and are more

likely to, occur within Canada. Outwardly, environmentalists present a benign

threat, and, t is often difficult to justify in the court o f public opinion, conducting

criminal investigations associated to the noble cause of protecting the globalenvironment. It is a matter of fact that some persons associated to environmentalism

have the expressed intent and demonstrated capability to engage in criminal activityto interfere within the Canadian energy process.

Canada s economic growth w h i c h is reliant on a safe, reliable and secure source o f

e n e r g y and the objectives o f environmentalists are in direct conflict.

As Dr. Roger Pielke Jr., Professor o f Environmental Studies at the University of

Colorado stated:

... Climate policy r q u i r ~ ·sacrifz ce_. t economic growth and environmental progress arenecessarily incompatible with one another .. experience shows quite clearly that when



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environmental and economic objectives are placed into opposition with one anotherin public or poli tical orums, the economic goals win out ... COuntries worldwide haveexpressed a commitment to sustaining economic growth, and these commitments arenot going to change any time soon, no matter how much activists, idealists, or dreamerscomplain to the contrary. People will pay some amount or environmental goals but

only so much before drawing the line ... 21

The environmental movement includes the passive, socially responsible, law abiding

activists. Another segment craves public attention and will execute spectacular -unlawful reckless stunts that include elements o f criminality. And, finally there

are extremists (those on the extreme fringes o f animal rights, environmental, anti

nuclear) who will act out violently to project their disdain for the energy sector forwhax it does and represents. The hrter includes the loosely affiliated individuals

who advocate, promote and execute violent criminal acts, and also includes those

characterized as lone wolves, who seek to invoke change by means o f violent criminal

acts.

Unlike religiously inspired terrorists who aspire to conduct high pro£ ile terroristattacks to inflict mass casualties, criminal actions mounted by environmentalists

are planned and executed with the intention of N O T inflicting casualties, and arefocused on delivering a message while not inflicting physical harm to any livingbeing or to the natural environment. Ironically, radical environmentalists and animal

rights activists of today destroy property and provoke violent confrontations in the

name of non violence; and many environmental activists don t even maintain the

pretense o f non violence, and even ofFer detailed advice about what to do and how

to get away with it.

Dr. Patrick Moore, who is noted as one o f the founding members o f Greenpeace,

described Aenvironmental extremists as: anti-human, anti-science and technology,anti-business, and plain anti-civilization, and who stated;

.. .In the fz nal a n a l y s i ~ ~eco extremists project a naive vision o f returning to thesupposedly utopian existence in the Garden o f Eden, conveniently forgetting that in

the old days people lived to an average age of35 and there were no dentists. In theirBrave New World there will be no more chemicals, no more airplanes, and certainlyno more polyester suits. 22

]he most ardent environmentalists believe there is an urgent and pressing need to

stop the destruction of the environment. And amongst these environmentalists are afew who are prepared to do what must be done to protect the environment, including

a small number o f radical environmentalists who advocate the use of criminal activityto protect the environment.

As stated by Earth First :

The ver yfuture { l ~ f eon Earth is in dtmger. Human actiuitinqTom hunting to habitatdestructionC have already driven countless species to extinction, and the process is onlyaccelerating. The destmction o f he Earth and its ~ u s t i n b l eindigenous cultures hasled to tragedy in every corner o f he globe . . . It is not enough to ask politicians and

corporations to destroy less wilderness. We need to preserve it all, to recreate lost habitatsand reintroduce extirpated predators. We need to stop and reverse the poisoning o f our

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air> water and soil> a ~ well as the modij£cation q f ~ f e > s · g e n e t i ccode. It is not enough tooppose the construction o f new darns and developments. It is time to ftee our shackledrivers and restore the land ... o put it sirnpfy, the Earth m ust come jz rst. 23

And:

We believe in using all o f he tools in the toolbox, from grassroots and legal organizingto civ il disobedience and rnonkeywrenchinif". l)?hen the law won't i.x the problem, weput our bodies on the line to stop the destruction. Earth First S direct action approachdraws attention to the crises focing the natural world, and it saves lives. 25

While CSIS dedicates most o f its counter terrorism resources to religiously-inspiredextremism which the Government o f Canada considers to be the most serious threat

to the safety of Canadians CSIS continues to monitor individuals and organizationsthat might be involved in other forms o f terrorism, such as, domestic terrorismincluding the threat or the use of violence by groups advocating for issues such as the

environment. 26

CSIS advised rhar; although Canada has not often been rargeted specifically for a

terrorist attack itis

vulnerable to terrorism for the following reason:Extremists from environmental and animal rights groups are willing to use dangerousand violent tactics in the fight fOr their cause (jor example, extremists haue engagedin arson attacks, tree spiking and spraying o f noxious substances in publ ic places soas to forestall logging operations; animal rights extremists have m ailed pipe bombsand letters containing razor blades tainted with poisonous substances to scientists and

taxidermist . .). 27

]he Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) advised that:

... During the past several years, special interest extremism, as characterized by theAnimal Liberation Front (ALF) and the Earth Liberation Fron t (ELF), has emergedas a serious terrorist threat. Generally, extremist groups engage in much activity that

is protected by constitutional guarantees o f ree speech and assembly. Law enforcementbecomes involved when the volatile talk o f these groups transgresses into unlawful

action. The FBI estimates that the ALF ELF haue committe d more than 600 criminalacts in the United States since 1996, resulting in damages in excess o f 43 milliondollars. 28

Since the early 1980's, Canadian law-en forcemen t agencies have investi gated a number

o f occurrences associated to radical environmentalists who advocate and engage in

criminality involving: direct threats to persons, break and enters, vandalism, sabotageand of more significant concern, incidents involving explosives and £-irearms.

First and foremost amongst these groups is the Earth First . 29 Earth First is best

known for using extreme criminal tactics as a key part of its strategy. Earth Firstwas formed in the early 1980s, and gained notoriety for its tactic o f tree spiking

whereby a large metal spike was driven into the trunk of a tree destined for logging.When loggers' chain saws hit a spike, they would be damaged beyond repair, forcingthe workers to stop, slowing the rate o f logging, and costing the timber companies

time and money. Seemingly popular with activists, the practice is detailed, with

instructions in "Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkey wrenching".



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The most current reported Canadian incidents of tree-spiking occurred in February,2000, when spikes were inserted into hundreds o f trees in the Elaho Valley, north

of Vancouver, B.C. in an attempt to preserve grizzly bear habitat; and in 2004,

when more than 100 spikes were found in logs by timber workers in Elk Creek, acontroversial logging site east o f Vancouver.

A more radical offshoot o f Earth First 50 renamed itself the Earth LiberationFront (ELF). Since ELF sees the perpetrators as committing violence against the

environment, h:s followers feel justified in using violence in the form o f economic

sabotage, in order to "remove the profit motive" from environmental destruction.

ELF sees its actions as a matter o f self defense to protect the earth from the greedyindividuals and corporations that it views as destroying the environment's ability to

sustain life. ELF (an d its sister organization, the Animal Liberation Front or ALP),

promotes the use o f improvised incendiary devices.

From a purely Canadian context, members o f a criminal extremisrs group identifiedas the Squamish 5 were convicted for the May, 1982 bombing of the BC HydroCheekeye Dunsmuir Hydro substation in rural B.C u Members of this group were

also convicted for the October, 1982 bombing of the Litton Industries plant inRexdale, Ont., 54 and the November, 1982 fire bombings of three Red Hot Videolocations in Vancouver' 5 •

Other Canadian environmental associated criminal incidents of note include and

are not limited to: the April 2001 conviction of \Xleibo Ludwig on five chargesrelated to bombings and other forms o f vandalism against oil and gas installationsin northern Alberta; a Quebec-based anarchist group identified as the Initiative de

resistance internationaliste that claimed responsibility for the 2004 failed attempt

to topple a Hydro Quebec transmission tower carrying electricity to the U.S.; the

2006 bombing a vehicle belonging to a spokesman for Canadian Petroleum Products

Institute, and the 2010 bombing of the Canadian Forces recruitment office in TroisRivieres, Quebec; 56 the criminal investigations of Canadians Darren Thurston; and

David Barbarash;58

occurrences associated to ELF; and a multitude o f Greenpeaceincursions and unlawful occupation of private property belonging to energy sectorcompanies.

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CONCLUSION

The health and safety o f Canadians and Canada s economic growth - which is

reliant on a safe, reliable and secure source o f n r g y and the objectives o f ardent

environmentalists are in direct conflict.

t is highly probable that environmentalist will continue to mount direct actionstargeting Canada s energy sector, specifically the petroleum sub-sector and the fossiland nuclear fueled electricity generating facilities, with the objectives of: influencing

government energy policy, interfering within the energy regulatory process and

forcing the energy industry to cease its operations that harm the environment.

]he impact of these actions upon Canada s energy sector will be dependent on the

facility's criticality to the energy sector, the energy grid and the facilities associatedinterdependencies. Environmental activists' actions may inadvertently result in

personal injury/death, damage to a facility's infrastructure, and harm to the natural

environment. t is recommended that emergency response and business continuity

plans include the possibility of unlawful incursions associated to environmental

activists.

Recommendations

Canada s energy sector is at risk from environmental criminal extremists and it is

recommended that emergency response and business continuity plans include actions

to address this evolving threat.

I f not already completed, it is recommended that:

• A credible security consulting company conduct a physical and cyber

vulnerability assessment of your company s operations;

• Complete a threat, risk and vulnerability assessmem to identify and be preparedto respond to all threats;

• Develop and maintain contact with police o f jurisdiction;

• Report suspicious behaviour to your local police, or to the RCMP for inclusion

within the the Suspicious Incident Reporting (SIR).

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EN NOTES

2 Proactive corporate environmental management: A revolution nevv industrial revolution b W j i ' f . : ' _ \ ' i ~ ~ J 5 1 Q G Q L Q / . . Q _ ~ ; ; L 4 J 2 5 . . 1 5 _ 9 .

3 Human population grovvth is indelibl y tied toge ther \IIlith increased use of natural and man made resources, energy, land for growing food and for living,and waste by products tha t are disposed to decompose, pollute or be recycled. Naturally, the exponential population growth led to the exponentialrequirements for resources, energy, food, housing and Ia nd as well as the exponential increase in waste by products.

4 Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche, Jr. is an American politician, and a perennial candidate for President o f t he United States. While he associates himself with theDemocratic Party, he has never been that nominee for office. in his early poliTical career LaRouche often used the pseudonym Lyn Marcus. Hispolitical views are extremely controversial are characterized his belief in a number of comple x theories, global plots by suchfigures as the 8rrtish Farni y, George P. Shu tz, and George H Bush and other circies of engagrr1g :n he has characterizedas a movement o f t he oligarchy. Some of LaRouche's opponents on the political conservative right have characterized him as afascist and a communist while some of his opponents on the political liberal and socialist left have characterized him as a fascist Bonapartistand a rightwing populist. Beginning in the 1970s, the LaRouch ites co mbined populist a nti-elitism with attacks on leftists, environ menta ists, feminists, gay men andlesbians, and organized labor. LaRouche's views have changed considerably over time, particularly during the 1970s when he abandoned much of hisMarxist philosophy, and moved towards the right. While his followers see LaRouche's views as being those of a brilliant and original thinker, his critics seethem as conspiratorial and in some cases, anti Semitic.Source Watch: http:Uwww.sourcewatch .org/index. php7title Lyndon LaRouche

5 John Harv1a is the se f professed fourKier of the Erwironmentai Life F o r c e which el/olved ir1to the Earth Liberation F r o n t and the first person to serveprison time for using direct action to stop the use of pesticides within the U.S. agriculture industry.

6 Environrnental Life Force (ELF), also known as the ELF. was the fi:st radica erwironmentai group in 1977 to use explosive and rncendiary devicesin defense of the environment. The name was by John Hanna who was the only member of he group to be arrested and convicted for the useof explosives on federal property. The ELF conducted armed actions in northern California and Oregon and disbanded in 1978 following Hanna's arrestfor placing incendiary devices on seven crop dusters at the Salinas, California airport on Day, 1977. ELF claimed that'·warfare''designed pesticideswere being used on domesTic crops, specifically a chemical banned after iTs extensive use t communique to "The Indepe ndent" later providedthe group with a front page story. They also called for above ground organisations to init iate a boycott of sprayed food and for the public to criticise the

process. b W j L ' f . : ' _ \ ' i ~ ~ m J . Q l n f l _ l e l t m m / .

7 Dr. Robert van den Bosch was a professor of entomology, chairman o f t he Division of Biological Control at the University of California at Berkeley, and oneof the world's most outspoken proponents of integrated, ecologically sound insect control.

l:l Defined as· .4ttempt to achieve some objectiv e without goinc1 through the normal channels of communication, grieva::ce orocedure, or decision makinc1Sudden industria I action, ca lied lightening strike, by employees without the support of he union, and acts of sabotage, are exam pies of direct action.Business Dictionary: h ct · 1;'> ·'v 'A hr ,s c · ( ~ s : : dic:: ; c· ; r' , . - ~·r'·· r , - - : ~ ~ ::i 1 : >i d i O·:t ;<r:o:i.l""·tc· i:

9 Green peace 2009 Annual Reporthttp:Uwww.q reen peace.org/i nternationa 1/G lob a ii nternationa 1/pu blications/g reenpea ce/20 1 0/An n ua I Report 2009/AR2009.pdf

10 Established rr11977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an rr1terr1ationai non profit, rr1arine wi dlife cor1se:vation Its rnissior1 is toend the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and pro tec t ecosystems species. Sea Shepherd usesdirect action tactics t o investigate, document and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas .

b n . o j L \ ' L \ ' l ~ ~ ; ; _ e _ q ; ; J : t e P - J J . s : r Q , Q c Q i ~ ~ b - Q ~ Y : : · ~ e - - _ q r . s : / .

11 Daniel C. Esty et. al., Pilot 2006 Environmental Index (New Haven: Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, 2006).

12 The RCMP defines radicalization as the process by which individuals C people Care imroduced to an ideological message and beiiefsystem that encourages move ment from moderate, mainstream beliefs extreme views. While radical thinkin g is no means problematic initself. it becomes a threat to national security when Canadian citizens or residents espouse or engage in violence or direct action as a means of promotingpolitical. ideological or religious extremism.

13 inf1arr1rr1atory Staterr1ents

...the AIbert a tar sands are evide ntlv an unmitig ated disaster for the environment...Heather McRobie Canada's tar a dar1gerous solutior1 to offshore

The tar sands, most of which occur in Alberta, are being extracted by the biggest opencast mining operation on earth. An area the size of England of

pristine forests and marshes, will be dug up, unless the Canadians can stop this madness. Already it looks like a scene from the end o f t he world: the stripminers are creating a churned black hell on an unimaginable scale.@ ..George Monbiot . The Guardian Novem ber 20, 2009

The trair1s coal to powe r plants are death trains. Coai f:red power p ar1ts are factories of death. James Hansen: The Observer, Feb:uary 15,2009"I can'T vvhythere aren't rrngs of young people blocking bulldozers and preventing them from constructing mal fired povver plants" ; ~ IGoreupon winning the 2007 Nobel



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14 Erroneous Facts:

Fiction Fact

The Oil Sands are the largest single point source of GHGs in Canada. The Oii Sands= account o r ~five percent of Canada's emissions, a n d ~ ~OJpercent of t he \lllorld-s total greenhouse gas em ss ions.

h U . o j L \ ' L \ ' . ~ . . C 3 . . Q Q _ Q _ q ; ; _ Q U ; ; _ Q _ o _ Q _ " i . . C 3 . . & ; . n j ; ; _ " i . 1 l ~ ~ J 3 . . m L u ~ _ e . Q _ ~ Q : : ;

The Oilsands:h n n j L ~ t . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ c 9 _ o _ q _ Q _ q ; ; _ o J l ; ; _ q n . Q ; ; _ ~ c 9 i ~ o i i J . ? _ l . I _ ~ _ ' U ' g r

Together, these tar sand deposits cover about 140,000 square kilometers Only two percent B about 3.450 square kilometer s B of t he Oil Sands can be(about 54,000 square miles, or an area about the size of Florida). mined from the surface, which is in fact comparable in size to an area oneMoney Week November 26,2007: third the size of metropolitan Edmonton.

. b 1 t R i i ~ ~ Y : : - ~ I f . : ' " m g n g y s ~ L e . e L c ; ; g m f 1 o Y ~ ~ m _ e n t s i ~ - 9 J J J J J 1 Q Q _ L t L e _ s i Q _ C ~ - - = - ~ - q n 3 . . Q L q _ o _ ~2010 Canada's Oil Sands:tar-sands-the-a nswer-to-ou r-oi 1-needs.asgx httr;ll/www.ca nadasoilsa nds.ca[en[iss ues[la nd use.asgx

Annual gr eenhouse gas emissions from tar sands plants in 2007 are 29.5 megatonnes of greenhouse gases are emitted from the oil sands eachexpected to be 39.3 41.4 milli on tonnes of C02 equivalent and it is year which represent 12 percent of Alberta's total greenhouse emissions,estimated that by 2011, annual greenhouse gas emissions from the tar r1early f1ve percent of Canada's ernissior1s, and OJ pe1cent of the worid·ssands plants alone will be over 80 million tones of C02 equivalent. total greenhouse gas emissions.

Stop Tar Sands Permanently : Canada's Oil Sands:httgl/stogta rsa ndsword gress.com[a bout[fagsi httgl/www.canadasoilsands.ca[en[issues4Jreenhouse gas em1ss1ons.asgx

The water requirements for oil sands proJects range from 2.5 to 4.0 Fresh water use at Imperial Oil's Cold Lake in situ facilit y has dropped frombarrels of water for each barrel of oil produced. 3.5 barrels of fresh water for every barrel of bitumen in 1985 to haifa barrelRainforest Action Network-Tar Sands Bull CAPP: of fresh water per barrel of bitumen today.httgl/u nderstor;ua n.oroi201 OLQ6[08[ta r-sa nds -bu Il-ea R i

Canada's Oil Sands: h n n j L ~ t . ~ ~ ~ ~ £ 9 _ o _ q _ Q _ q ; ; _ o J l ; ; _ q n . Q ; ; ~ £ 9 i ~ o i i J

Oil Sands represent 65 of t he water withdrawals from the Athabasca Oil Sands mininc1 pro ject s use less tha1: one per cent of the vvaterthat f1owsRiver. in the Athabasca River, and some 85 per cent of t he water that is used is

recycled.Pembina Institute: Down to the last drop' The Athabasca River and OilSa n d s: h n n j f . Q _ i _ i _ Q _ ~ , . p - ~ J J J _ Q _ L r : J _ Q " R r g J . e R Q J 1 ~ L l 3 . . ~ t D . . r R Q _ ~ _ 1 9 _ U . Q Q Q ~ ~ P - . d fThe Oil Sands Developers Group:

httgl/www.oilsa ndsdevelogers.ca[i ndex.g h g[tha n ~ o u [ o i1-sa nds-factsi

15 National Post ·Tuesday, Nov. 16,2010

16 Ibid

17 Ibid

ll:l Ibid

19 Counterculture Con HQhtt p:Uco u nter c u t u reco ns e vat ve. word press .co m i l 0 1 OLQWO1Law a ken ed b ~ a1-g ores-a n i n convenient t r uthi

20 Dr. Patrick Moore's presentatio n to the US Congressional Committee April28, 2005

21 Roger Pielke Jr. The Climate Fix: What Scientists and Politicians Won'tT ell You About Global Warming

22 Ibid

24 M o ~ : k e y v v r e n c h i ~ : ghas proven to be an effective m e a ~ : sof protest and activism. not on y shedding ig ht on various politicai issues. but also providinc1 avery active means of resista nee through a list of tactics. Envi ron menta lists, such as those associated with Earth Fi rstL use mon keywrench ng as a meansof subverting ecological destruction. Animal rights activists such as ALF (Animal Liberation Front) use this as a means to help free entrapped creaturesas well as send strong to particular corporate, g o v e r n m e ~ : t a ior scientific communities, as vveli as the genera public Outside of organizedgroups per se, can be used to protect pnvacy destroying CCT\ Cameras (Closed CircuitTelevision Cameras). Biotech or GM(Genet cal y crops are the targets of known as time Gardening), as the destruccion of this type ofcan effectively ruill a crop and prevent it from being distr ibute d and cons umed \Vhen ac1ainst businesses and corporations m c > n k c v ~ m o n c : h i

halt or slow production and distribution of goods.1\ffinity Project---- Web of Struggles ~ · , - : - t o )'cfilii·t' :··.r ::.i2c-:- ' i r JG C·.?S ' ' ' <·i k2v :,';2:-x· ,.,, ' hrr: 1:



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27 CSIS- http:U\1\lWW.csis-scrs.gc.ca/prrts/trrrsm/index-eng.asp

28 Testimony of James F Jarboe, Domestic Terrorism Section Chief, Counterterrorism Division, FBI Before the House Resources Committee, Subcommittee onForests and Forest Health February 12, 2002 '"The Threat of Eco Terrorism··

29 Earth First : . C L ~ t L - ~ ~ ~ { . Y ~ ~ } ' Y . . ~ ~ - ~ - . J . l C c ~ : L ~ L ' ) . L : . J . L t b . . z J X J J . i C CEarth First is an international movement composed of small. bioregionally based groups. Earth First ers(EF ers) take it upon ourselves to become intimately familiar with the ecology of heir area and the most immed iate and serious threats to it. EF ers apply'"direct pressure'', with a combination of education, liti gation, and creative civil disobedience. EF ers believe in using all the tools in the tool box, rangingfrom grassroots organizing and involvement in the legal process to civil disobedience and monkeywrenching.

30 The Earth Liberation Front also known as ELF was established in 1992 in Brighton, England and dedicated to saving the environment. It was foundedby the more radica I members of the activist environ menta I group, Earth First who believed criminal acts would better advance their environmentalistagenda than would legal protest. The American branch announced its creation in October 1996 with an arson attack on a US Forest Service truck inOregon's Willamette National Forest. The decoupling of ELF from Earth First enabled the two organizations to focus on th eir respective constituencies.Earth First recruits those who believe in peaceful. non violent protest. The ELF in contr st draws those who favor direct action and revolutionary violence.The goa s of he tvvo groups are simi ar. They differ primarily in The means to be employed

32 The Squamish Five: . b _ t t p J J g n . l ' l i k l P - _ e . Q j 1 W J . . o L ~ ' 1 ~ l L S _ Q . l . . L Q J J J j J _ b _ E L y _ e :The Five (sometimes referred to as the Vancouver Five) were a group of self

styled "urban guer rilias'· active in Canada during the 1980s. Therr narr1e was Direct Action. The five were Ann Hansen, Brent Tavior. Ju ietCaroline Belmas, Doug Stewart and Gerry Hannah. the Red Brigades, Red Army Faction, and other groups, they were not motivated by a politica Iideology which placed them at the vanguard of a Marxist revolution. Rather, they were activists who had become disenchanted and frustrated withtraditiona I methods of activism. They believed th t by engaging in semi symbolic propaganda by the deed, they could JOlt people into action themselves.

33 The Squamish Five h n n i L e n . ~ - ~ i _ ~ i R ~ - Q j _ r J . Q C Q i ~ ~ L ~ . i . S Q . U f l J J 1 L " i . b _ E j y : ~ :On 30 May 1982, a large bomb at the Cheekye Dunsmuir BC Hydro substation detonatedcausing S5 million in damages. Four transformers were damaged beyond repair, but no one was inJured. The hydroelectric proJect had been criticized bysome as environmentally unsound and contributing to the destruction of wilderness on the Island.

34 Litton Industries bombing: n n i L ~ D " ~ ~ L ~ j p ~ Q _ L Q . Q [ g b 0 ~ L ~ j _ S g u f l _ L " n L ~ D _ E j y ~ ::r1 October. 1982, rr1ernbers of the group ider1tif:ed as The Squamish Frve filleda stolen pick up truc k with 550 kg of dynami te and drove from Vancouver to Toronto. Their target was Litton Industries, a company producin g guidancecomponents for the controversia I American cruise missiles many feared would increase the risk of nuclear war. The bomb was detonated on October 14,1982, and was intended to cause only propert y dest ruction. The van was parked in full view of corporate security, with an elaborate '·warning box'' duct

taped to the hood, displaying a message, a digital clock counting down, and a single stick of dynamite to draw attention to the danger. Bel mas calledthe security desk and warned them of he explosion, giving inst ructions on exactly what to do and where the danger area was. The security personnel.however, suspected a hoax, and did not respond quickly enough to evacuate the facility before the explosion. The evacuation was JUSt getting startedwhen the bomb detonated minutes ahead of schedule, inJuring ten people. Meanwhile, at the back of t he where the guidance system was being

oroduced, no dama ge was done. The oniy damage was to the storage area vvherethe parts vvere held before and the offices above andaround the storage area.

35 Red Hot Video flrebombi::g b . . D i . L ~ - O ~ ~ ~ L b p g Q L Q " Q I Q L \ ' l i ~ J L S . Q _ L J . Q L n j ~ _ b _ f _ i y gOn ~ o v e m b e r22, 1982. the identified as The Five reas part of a urKier the name '"\Nimmin's Fire Brigade''. They subsequently firebombed three of Red Hot a charr1 sel ingporn ographic snuf f films which had aTtracted the atTemion of feminisT activists. The maj orit y of stores ended either closing down, orchanging their names, and due to attention brought against the stores by the action, pressure was put on government to laws so th t th t type ofvioient pornography could r1o longer be sold in Canada resulting rr1charges and fines against the Red Hot Vrdeos store in BC, Canada

36 Globe and Mail, July 02,2010. I J U . o i L \ ' L \ ' . ~ ~ t i J g g J Q Q ~ Q J J _ 9 J J J _ C J . i L m m n . s : ~ ~ ~ f _ o _ q j Q Q f l _ L m . L ~ _ b _ e _ c ; ; g _ L J . s : Q g ~ _ . Q _ Q j j Q ~ _ m _ L J l J J _ f l _ Q Q ~ _ L O__b_QJJJ_bLSJLtLcJgtQ222.2.ZL





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Threat Level Legend:An evaluation of a threat to a person s), location or event b sed on available information ndintelligence, combined with an overall analysis of he threat environment.

mminentIntelligence has identH-ied an individual or group within Canada or abroad whichis assessed as having the capability and the intent to commit an act o f seriousviolence against a specH-ic target in the immediate future

ighIntelligence has identified an individual or group within Canada or abroad whichis assessed as having the capability and the intent to commit an act o f seriousviolence. Intelligence indicates that an attack may be forthcoming

Medium

Intelligence has identH-ied an individual or group within Canada or abroad whichis assessed as having the capability and the intent to commit an act o f serious

violence. There is no intelligence indicating that an attack is forthcoming

Low

Intelligence has identified an individual or group within Canada or abroad whichis assessed as having either the capability or the intent to perform an act o f violence.

No Known ThreatThere is no available information intelligence indkadng a threat




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20110318 RCMP Report on Environmental Criminal Extremism

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