Eco-Terrorist Group Threatens 'International Day Of Action'
Same Group Claimed Responsibility For $12 Million Vail Fire
U.S. Forest Service officials are bracing for possible acts of vandalism this month by the Earth Liberation Front, the group that claimed responsibility for burning down Vail's Two Elk Lodge in 1998.
ELF has used its Web site to declare Thursday an "international day of action."
White River National Forest supervisor Martha Ketelle recently
warned Forest Service employees to be extra vigilant about locking
doors, gates, windows and vehicles in the days before the "day of
action" and Earth Day on Sunday.
They also were told not to remove signs posted on Forest Service
structures, in case they are rigged with explosives, White River
National Forest spokeswoman Sue Froeschle said.
"We are aware that ELF is planning events that could target
Forest Service facilities, and we wanted to make our employees
aware that there are some concerns," she said.
Colorado has not been specifically targeted in ELF communiques,
and Vail Resorts spokeswoman Kelly Ladyga said that there has been no
increase in security at the company's resorts of Vail, Beaver
Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone.
Summit and Eagle counties were not taking extra precautions
either, law-enforcement officials said.
However Vail has kept up the heightened security that began
after fires at seven buildings in 1998, Ladyga said.
The ELF claimed it torched the buildings, causing $12 million in
damage, to protest the resort's expansion into purported lynx
habitat.
ELF most recently claimed it tried to torch a Nike store in
Minnesota in response to another action day April 5.
Additional Resources:
ELF has used its Web site to declare Thursday an "international day of action."
White River National Forest supervisor Martha Ketelle recently
warned Forest Service employees to be extra vigilant about locking
doors, gates, windows and vehicles in the days before the "day of
action" and Earth Day on Sunday.
They also were told not to remove signs posted on Forest Service
structures, in case they are rigged with explosives, White River
National Forest spokeswoman Sue Froeschle said.
"We are aware that ELF is planning events that could target
Forest Service facilities, and we wanted to make our employees
aware that there are some concerns," she said.
Colorado has not been specifically targeted in ELF communiques,
and Vail Resorts spokeswoman Kelly Ladyga said that there has been no
increase in security at the company's resorts of Vail, Beaver
Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone.
Summit and Eagle counties were not taking extra precautions
either, law-enforcement officials said.
However Vail has kept up the heightened security that began
after fires at seven buildings in 1998, Ladyga said.
The ELF claimed it torched the buildings, causing $12 million in
damage, to protest the resort's expansion into purported lynx
habitat.
ELF most recently claimed it tried to torch a Nike store in
Minnesota in response to another action day April 5.
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