During the past several years, special interest extremism, as characterized by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), has emerged as a serious terrorist threat. The FBI estimates that the ALF/ELF have committed more than 600 criminal acts in the United States since 1996, resulting in damages in excess of 43 million dollars.

James F. Jarboe, Domestic Terrorism Section Chief, Counterterrorism Division, will be online Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. to talk the threat of eco-terrorism. He has recently spoke before Congress on the FBI's efforts in combating the "Threat of Eco-Terrorism" and domestic terrorism.

The transcript follows.

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Special Agent James F. Jarboe: Good afternoon, this is James Jarboe with the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. Today's interaction will focus on Eco-terrorism issues.

College Park, Md.: (submitted without hope of being posted)

"Eco-terrorists", huh? Well, when I go to sleep at night I have no fear of "eco-terrorism." They've burned some buildings in the past few years?

Well, what about the militia/right wing fundamentalist movement in this country? I reckon that the bombing in Oklahoma City cost more than all of these eco-terrorist actions combined, and the constant danger (including anthrax threats, clinic bombings and assassinations) against abortion providers and other "enemies of god" scares me much more.

In short, while you're prioritizing the pursuit of folks that harm only property, murderers and religious terrorists are freely planning their next actions. Stop protecting wealthy campaign contributers and start saving lives, please.

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: The issue of eco-terrorism versus other types of terrorists activities is important. You infer that there is less of an impact since the eco-terrorists only go after property while other terrorists organizations focus on murder etc. Eco-terrorism is but one area of investigative interest to the FBI. Eco-terrorism is one of many areas the FBI has investigative interest in. I would think that the firefighters who have to go into blazing buildings that were set on fire by arsonists may take exception to the tone of your message that the eco-terrorists are not worthy of our interest.

Tucson, Ariz.: Is the FBI being duped into catering to the special interests of private industry by increasing its attention towards "eco-terrorists" solely on the basis that they might kill someone when in reality its the profiteering of these business groups thats most effected?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: Terrorism is terrorism regardless of who is the victim. We focus on criminal acts and are not influenced in our priorities by any group. The FBI has maintained independence in it's ability to conduct investigations and will continue to do so. We must remember that in this country each person has the right to engage in business to make a profit. We cannot allow special interest groups to use terrorist tactics to interfere in this process.

Washington, D.C.: Has there been greater emphasis on fighting eco-terrorism under AG Ashcroft than under AG Reno? If so, why?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: This issue has been a priority under both of the AGs.

Ashburn, Va.: How can local law enforcement best fight ecoterrorism? Or is this a problem best left to the Feds, in your opinion?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: This is a problem for all law enforcement agencies and all communities. The FBI has in place around the country Joint Terrorism Task Forces that are comprised of Local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies. These JTTFs use this format to ensure all available resources are used to insure the safety of the American public.

Washington, D.C.: The FBI's new inquiries into supposed "eco-terrorism" are nothing but transparent violations of the rights of pro-animal and pro-environmental citizens. The FBI has engaged in a demonological pretext of inventing "terrorist groups" which do not in fact exist. "Eco-terrorism" wasn't an issue in the Democratic administration -- this whole FBI initiative is simply a proxy for the economic enrichment of President Cheney's ranching, hunting, and drillin' redneck buddies.

Go get a real job Mr. Jarboe, I'm sick of paying your inflated salary.

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: Interestingly worded question. The FBI is extremely cognizant of the rights of the American public. In my section I have an attorney from our Office of General Counsel. This attorney's tasking is to review all investigative initiatives to ensure that the proposed steps are well away from infringement on individual citizen's rights. Also, I believe it is President Bush.

Washington, D.C.: Did agents who are assigned to Domestic Terrorism squads participate in the security for the Olympics? Was eco-terrorism something the FBI worried about during the Games?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: We had Agents and support personnel from all investigative disciplines at the recent Olympic Games. Likewise we were vigilant for any possible terrorist attack on the games whether from international or domestic sources.

Washington, D.C.: Ease up, College Park. Terrorism is terrorism and violence is violence no matter how you look at it. If these eco-terrorists are setting bldgs on fire or what-not, then they ARE dangerous and the FBI --should-- be going after them. Sheeeeeeeesh.

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: I concur with your statement.

Virginia: During the past few "terrorism alerts," government officials have asked ordinary citizens to be on a heightened state of alert, and to be looking out for suspicious activity. This has left people wondering, "Well, what should I be looking for?" Do you have any advice to help make that more specific? Are there telltale signs that terrorists at work -- red flags that people should watch for?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: I could spend several hours writing on this subject. Any warning that is issued nation wide is closely coordinated with the Office of Homeland Security and has supporting information to warrant such an alert. What should you be looking for? Unusual activity of any type. If it makes you uncomfortable report it to your local law enforcement or FBI office.

Los Angeles, Calif.: Has the focus of domestic terrorism changed since 9/11?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: The focus has not changed. For a period of time after 9/11 all FBI assets were concentrated on identifying those who perpetrated the attack and in preventing any future attacks of any kind. Our focus on domestic terrorism was only interrupted but not changed.

Lexington Park, Md.: Thank you SA Jarboe for undertaking this task of battling the eco-terrorists. Do these people have specific targets that they like to go after, or do they just see a business that may offend them and torch it?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: Attacks have been initiated on many different types of entities from the logging industry to University research facilities. Your last statement seems to be the foundation they work on to identify their targets.

Monterey, Calif.: Agent Jarboe,

For those people who discount the threat of eco-terrorism, I would like to remind them that eco-terrorism is not limited to burning buildings or putting sugar in the gas tanks of logging equipment. In the 1970s there was a group called R.I.S.E. with an extreme ecocentric ideology that acquired biological pathogens with the intention of causing large numbers of casualties. Luckily the group was ill-equipped to do so. Tim Daley, A United Kingdom member of the ALF is also quoted as having stated: "In a war, you have to take up arms and people will get killed ... I can support that kind of action by petrol bombings, bombs under cars, and probably, at a later stage, shooting (researchers)... on their doorsteps." Do you think that we will eventually have to fear groups such as the ELF or ALF using unconventional weapons?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: The frequency and aggressiveness of attacks is on the increase. At the inception of these groups there was a focus on legitimate lawful protest. Over the years splinter groups have continued to emerge which have been disatisfied with more conventional protest methods and have escalated the intensity of their protests with ever increasing violence.

Portland, Oregon: How actively does the FBI work with local law in this area. We are a hotspot of ALF/ELF.

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: As mentioned earlier, the Joint Terrorism Task Force concept was set up primarily to insure close working relations among the local, state and federal agencies. Portland has such a JTTF in place.

Bowie, Md.: Do eco-terrorists operate in cells the way we have all learned international Islamacist terrorists do? If not, why are they so successful (I only say successful because 600 incidents seems like a lot). Do you get many prosecutions of these terrorists?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: They do operate in isolated cells. This makes identification more difficult. We have had successful prosecutions of eco-terrorists. Regardless of any past successes, we must continue to pursue unlawful activity since it directly affects the safety of all citizens.

Maine: Does the FBI outreach to these groups to try an understand their motivations?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: I believe we fully understand their motivations. The issue is the methodology they use to demonstrate their beliefs. Lawful protest has been a right of all citizens since the inception of the Constitution. Use of violence to achieve one's goals is not something that is sanctioned by the Constitution and is in direct conflict with this nation's theory that all citizens should have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Florida: What agencies does the FBI work with? EPA, CIA?

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: We work with many federal, state and local agencies. We do not work with the CIA on domestic issues since these involve U.S. citizens. The National Security Act of 1947 prohibits the CIA from engaging in domestic issues.

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: This hour has gone very quickly with many very good questions. Thank you for your participation. There were some questions that were not answered due to a lack of time. It is obvious from some of those questions that we have a healthy divergence of opinion in this country as to what should or shouldn't be done in the goal of protecting the environment and nature's creatures. The only time the FBI will become involved in these issues is where there is criminal activity that threatens our citizens. For further information on this issue please see my testimony before Congress on 2/12/02 by visiting the FBI's website at www.FBI.gov and go to the Congressional statements section. Thank you for your time.

Arlington, VA: I work for an industry that has been targeted by ecoterrorism - and in the past have been personally threatened by an animal rights activist who said he knew my address and was planning to come into my home one evening and slash my face to ribbons with a razor blade.

Perhaps some of the people viewing this discussion don't feel that ecoterrorism is real - but I can assure them that I was terrified, and was very grateful that the FBI took the threat seriously. The group targeting me (they got my name off of a website) have been known to blow up boats, break into homes and offices and shut down computer systems. To me, that's terrorism.

Thank you Special Agent Jarboe.

Special Agent James F. Jarboe: One final response: I think this statement stands on its own and is precisely why the FBI is involved in this issue.

washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

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