Incident Summary:
12/26/1998: In a fax received by The Associated Press, members of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) claimed responsibility for setting fire to the U.S. Forest Industries headquarters office in Medford, Oregon in the United States, causing about $990,220 in damage. The arson was caused by an incendiary, composed of two five-gallon buckets filled with a fuel mixture and timing devices, which was placed in front of the building behind some bushes. There were no casualties in the incident. The communiqué sent to AP and also published in an Internet news release from the Animal Liberation Frontline Information Service, stated that the act was performed as retaliation for the forests and animals lost to "feed the wallets of greedy" corporations. The perpetrators were part of a group calling themselves "The Family," which committed nearly 20 arson and ecotage attacks over a 6 year period.
Overview
GTD ID:
199812260003
When:
1998-12-26
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Oregon
City:
Medford
Location Details:
at the U.S. Forest Industries office at 2611 Whittle Ave in Medford, OR
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
U.S. Forest Industries |
Specific Description |
U.S. Forest Industries headquarters office in Medford, OR |
Nationality of Target |
United States |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
$990,220.00 |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Incendiary |
Gasoline or Alcohol |
Weapon Details |
two five-gallon buckets of diesel/unleaded mix and a one gallon jug with cigarette delays |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The perpetrators had initially placed the incendiary devices at the U.S. Forest Industries building on December 22, but after a few days passed and the group hadn't heard anything about a fire in the news, they went back to check on the devices on December 26, and noticed that they hadn't ignited and much of the fuel had evaporated. Thus, they created a new ignition device from sponges, matches and a cigarette, which proceeded to cause the $990,000 arson. Ferguson became a government informant and witness in exchange for 2 years probation, Tubbs was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison for his involvement in various arson incidents including this case, Tankersley was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months for her involvement in various arson incidents including this case, and Rubin remained fugitive. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Group Sub-name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Earth Liberation Front (ELF) |
The Family |
Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Letter) |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
4 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
3 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
U.S. Government’s Sentencing Memorandum for CR 06-60069, CR 06-60070, CR 06-60071, CR 06-60078, CR 06-60079, CR 06-60080, CR 06-60120, CR 06-60122, CR 06-60123, CR 06-60124, CR06-60125, and CR 06-60126. U.S. District Court: District of Oregon, Eugene, 2007. |
"ELF claims responsibility for fire," Associated Press State & Local Wire, January 17, 1999. |
"Six arrested on federal arson and property destruction indictments," States News Service, Portland, Oregon, December 8, 2005. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties