U.S. terror hunt targets animal activists

[kpete]

U.S. terror hunt targets animal activists

Kevin Kjonaas set up a website with details about businesses that use animals for research information, and now he and five other activists have been convicted of inciting terrorism

Mar. 13, 2006. 07:49 AM
THOMAS WALKOM


TRENTON, N.J.—Kevin Kjonaas is an unlikely casualty of George W. Bush's war against terror.

No one, including the U.S. government attorneys who just finished prosecuting him for so-called animal enterprise terrorism, says that the 28-year-old Minnesota native killed anyone — or even hurt anyone.

He's never planted a bomb or sent anthrax through the mail.

The government doesn't claim Kjonaas damaged property — or knowingly provided material assistance to anyone who did.

"I've been an ass," Kjonaas acknowledged days before a Trenton jury found him guilty of inciting terrorism. "Some of the things I've done have been just rude, and I wouldn't do them again. But am I legally responsible (for the crimes the government accused him of)? No."

However, earlier this month, Kjonaas and five others ranging in age from 27 to 31 became the first people convicted under a 1992 U.S. law — significantly beefed up after 9/11 — that defines as terrorists those who damage firms involved in the animal business.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1142203810052&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News

[EvolvedChimp]

1. Some scary stuff out there

I recently read an artice in the Times about victims of this sort of terrorism. People who's cars are tipped, windows broken, and countless threats when their personal information were posted on animal activists' forums. One woman's son was threatened to be beheaded. It is def a problem and whether or not Kjonaas commited any of these crimes personaly doesn't mean he couldn't be responsible for these crimes. The same way leaders of white supremicy groups can have blood on their hands without ever meeting their victims. Encouraging or permiting these acts is something that can't be ignored and it scares me that anyone is capable of such acts. Good post.

[MadHound]

6. When was the last time an animal rights activist killed somebody?

Oh, that's right, never. Meanwhile, people like those fun folks in the The Covenant, Sword, and Arm of the Lord, Aryan Brotherhood, and other RW militant hate groups are allowed to roam free, terrorizing African Americans and other minorities.

When was the last time that the government went after one of these groups with as much vigor and determination as they're now applying to animal rights activists? Why is it a couple of cute little blond haired blue eyed girls can perform the most obscene songs of hate, and get their fifteen minutes of fame on national TV, yet this guy posts something on a blog, and he's now a "terrorist"?

Left wing activists like this confine their actions to property crimes, and are villified as a terrorist, with all that such a definition legally implies(including stripping him of his citizenship if Bushboy so desires). Yet Eric Rudolph and countless other RW nutjobs are allowed to kill and injure, but they aren't spied on, and when caught they are treated as a criminal, with the full legal protection afforded a criminal. Do you see the hypocricy here.

This is simply more demonization of the left, an ongoing effort to shut us up, drown us out, and make sure that we're never, ever heard from. How short a step is it from declaring those on the left to be "terrorists" to applying the "final solution" Not very far in my opinion.

Do property crimes like that described in the OP need to be punished, sure. But labeling people as terrorists and applying the law unevenly is inherently unfair and unAmerican. This is simply more and increasing persecution of the left in this country. Today, it is animal rights activists who are being labeled as terrorists, tommorrow it will be anti-war activists being so labeled. And at the end of that road is Gitmo, or worse.

[EvolvedChimp]

10. yeah

pushing agendas by terrorising makes one a terrorist

[T Wolf]

2. This verdict legitimizes the idea that protest, or even simply

making people aware of animal cruelty is now classified as terrorism.

The defendants did NOTHING except post on a website news about activities that they (and many others) consider violations against non-human animals. They did not encourage or propose illegal acts.

Very similar to the bill pending that would make it illegal to report illegal acts by Bush*.

[peacebird]

3. terrorists are people who damage firms involved in the animal business???

tell me this is from The Onion.....

:wtf:

[reichstag911]

5. Nope, it's true.

I've seen a video of some of what the "researchers" at Huntingdon (...ton?) did to animals (esp. dogs), and I have absolutely zero empathy for those scumbags.

[peacebird]

7. I could buy the researchers = terrorists angle but those who oppose them?

For having a website?!?!?

un-freaking-believable..... A prosecutor wasted our money on such a frivilous case and a JUDGE actually found them GUILTY instead of laughing the prosecutors out of the courtroom???

arghhhh.....

[reichstag911]

9. They gave out officers' and employees' addresses, phone #s,...

...kids' school info, etc. Did they do or explicitly encourage anything? It seems not, but their intent was clear. Very difficult case, legally speaking. Compare what they did to what Man Coulter writes in every column, though, and they become innocuous by comparison. The organization is at http://www.shac.net/ .

[rustydog]

4. Bush argues he alone determines who terrorists are

and he alone can determine who is an enemy combatant and be disappeared...forever.

[Coastie for Truth]

8. As if "JUDGE" Chertoff didn't have enough to do

Rebuilding the Gulf Coast, and getting ready for the 2006 Hurricane Season --- he and Mueller have the assets to waste on this stuff.

[blindpig]

11. Environmentalist next.

"The business of America is business.":puke: