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In a DEFINING case, a U.S. Federal Appeals Court found six
animal rights activists guilty of terrorism against a NJ
research lab.
 The
landmark case redefined animal rights activists as terrorists.
Could it provide a basis for a similar suit against PETA and
other cyber-terrorist groups? For decades, groups such as ALF
(Animal Liberation Front) and ELF (Environmental Liberation
Front) have terrorized American citizens with seeming impunity.
This case may provide a leg up for defense against PETA and
HSUS.
Barbara J. Andrews
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TheDogPress
10|20|09
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Emboldened by success and prosecutorial failure of an
increasingly liberal judicial system, animal rights terrorists
employed violent assaults for two decades. In addition to
liberating lab animals, the “animal rights advocates” attacked
dog shows, opening vehicles and crates, freeing animals from
“cruel imprisonment” and allowing disoriented dogs the freedom
to bolt into traffic. Dog show fanciers were terrified; afraid
to leave one dog unattended in order to exhibit in another.
Today
PETA, HSUS and other animal rights groups use the internet to
assault the rights of dog breeders, garnering emotional support
and hundreds of millions of dollars in donations. Perfectly
legal, but the New Jersey Six case defines the line between
advocating for a cause and using a web site to incite violence
under the guise of protecting the rights of animals.
The
Federal Appeals court also accepted evidence of smear tactics
against the lab and threats against companies that did business
with Huntingdon Labs. These animal terrorists were brought to
justice under the Animal Enterprise Protection Act.
The
jurists upheld the New Jersey convictions of six animal-rights
activists charged under a terrorism statute for using their Web
site to incite threats and vandalism against a company that
tests products on animals. The 2-1 decision was the first
federal appellate court ruling on a constitutional challenge to
the law.
The
animal rights group was formed to protest the activities of
Huntingdon Life Sciences in Franklin Township, N.J. The New
Jersey Six case is seen by AR groups as an example of government
infringement on free speech. Animal rights activists prefer the
lofty term “advocates” because it sounds more like a lobbying
effort and terrorist supporters likened the decision to
condemning civil-rights activists. Defense council for the six
New Jersey terrorist said "The government is always doing the
same thing, prosecuting the loud leaders for conspiracy to
commit particular crimes that they are not committing, and are
not planning to commit,"
The
Stop Huntingdon defendants were convicted in 2006 for
conspiracy to violate the 1992 Animal Enterprise Protection Act
which was enacted to protect animal research labs from illegal,
sometimes violent protests. Huntington labs became a target of
animal rights activists when video footage was telecast in the
1990s. They claimed it showed animal abuse at the United
Kingdom laboratory. The New Jersey facility used a small number
of dogs and monkeys in addition to mice, rats, and fish.
The
terrorists made public the home addresses for Huntingdon
officials and even some of the lab’s contractors. Andrew Baker,
chairman of a Huntingdon holding company, testified that
protesters broke windows, threw smoke bombs into his home, and
decorated his daughter's NY apartment with pictures depicting
his death.
The
animal terrorists kept up a barrage of cyber-attacks on their
website which Huntingdon said cost the company nearly a half
million dollars in provable damages. Extrapolating that to the
losses suffered by The American Kennel Club as a result of
unrelenting attacks against breeders, one must ask if the AKC
has a case against PETA? PETA has close ties with ALF and ELF
and while it does not advocate physical violence against
breeders, it attacks dog and cat breeders with unrelenting
success.
PETA’s
print, billboard, and cyber-attack campaign against
breeders has caused incalculable financial damage. Convinced by
the emotionally charged concept that buying a puppy from a
breeder means the death of a shelter dog, the actions of PETA
have been no less damaging to breeders than to the companies
which did business with Huntingdon labs.
Judge
Julio Fuentes wrote in his ruling "While advocating violence
that is not imminent and unlikely to occur is protected, speech
that constitutes a 'true threat' is not." Therein lays the
difference between freedom of speech and promoting or
threatening terrorist attacks. He also noted “"The record is
rife with evidence that defendants were on notice that their
activities put them at risk for prosecution, including the
extensive use of various encryption devices and programs used to
erase incriminating data from their computer hard drives."
The
single dissenting Judge, Michael Fisher feels that the
conspiracy convictions should be overturned for lack of
evidence, noting that much of the evidence only proved
actions against other companies which did business with
Huntington labs.
The
Federal Appeals Court accepted evidence and took into
consideration that actions by the defendants caused great
financial and credibility losses for Huntingdon.
The
New Jersey Six were sentenced to up to six years in prison.
Defense attorneys are deciding whether to appeal the
ruling. If so, it will go to the U.S. Supreme court. This case
may directly relate to financial and emotional damage wreaked
upon both commercial and hobby breeders and should be watched
closely.
We
invite subscribers, especially attorneys and Legislative groups
defending the rights of hobby breeders, to send your
comments to the editor.
Background on the ALF, ELF, HSUS, FFA, PETA connections:
ALF, ELF, PETA, HSUS - the
connection
- The FBI ranks ELF as the #1 Domestic Terror Threat. Ties that
bind HSUS and PETA to domestic terrorism. Root Research.
HSUS & ALF Terrorist Anniversary
connects ALF Terrorist and HSUS employee Goodwin. A daring,
exclusive report from the Fur Commission USA, read it here
first.
Barbara J. Andrews, Editor
http://www.thedogpress.com/Editorials/09102-ED-Animal-Rights-Terrorists-Lose-Appeal_bj.asp
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