According to the Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) raided the home of an Earth First! activist in Detroit, Michigan on April 10. The activist–whose name is not being disclosed–was raided by ten FBI agents who claimed to be investigating a failed arson attempt by the Earth Liberation Front at a Nestle water bottling operation in Michigan. According to the activist:
The 10 agents who searched my house were looking for incendiary devices (or components or receipts), and were looking for computer files (they copied my hard drives). Anyway, the pretext was the failed arson attempt 3+ years ago at the Ice Mountain (nestle bottled water plant here in Michigan). At that time, a grand jury subpoenaed my then wife and myself to give DNA and hand prints shortly after the incident. At the time they said they found hair or something and a hand print on the device. Obviously there was no match or the grand jury would have indicted one or both of us. They took a bunch of campaign literature, some t-shirts, a couple of firecrackers and some other miscellaneous stuff.
The activist has maintained his innocence and is stating that he had no involvement in the incident. Furthermore, this is the second time this activist has been targeted by the FBI. The activist was previously targeted seven years ago for involvement in a tree-spiking action in Indiana, although the charges were eventually dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Statements of support can be sent to ELP4321@hotmail.com clearly marked “For the attention of the Michigan Earth First! Activist.”
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