Incident Summary:
12/24/1995: Member of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), Kevin Tubbs, placed three timed incendiary devices on three ice cream trucks at the Dutch Girl Dairy ice cream shop in Eugene, Oregon in the United States. Two of the devices, all of which were made of one-liter plastic bottles filled with a flammable liquid and a timing device, consisting of paper matches wrapped around an incense stick which was placed into a fuel-soaked kitchen sponge, ignited two trucks. The third device malfunctioned and was discovered in the wheel of the truck after a security guard and the fire department extinguished the first two fires; the device was rendered safe. The two truck fires caused over $15,000 in damages, but there were no casualties in the incident. After 6 years of ecotage and arson attacks, Tubbs was finally captured in 2005 and indicted for his crimes in 2006; in 2007, Tubbs was sentences to 12 years and 7 months in prison.
Overview
GTD ID:
199512240011
When:
1995-12-24
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Oregon
City:
Eugene
Location Details:
The incident occurred on Grant Street.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
Dutch Girl Dairy |
Specific Description |
three ice cream trucks belonging to Dutch Girl Dairy in Eugene, 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 |
$15,000.00 |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Incendiary |
Gasoline or Alcohol |
Weapon Details |
incendiary devices were two one-liter plastic bottles filled with a flammable liquid and a timing device, consisting of paper matches wrapped around an incense stick which was placed into a fuel-soaked kitchen sponge |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Additional Information |
In addition to the incendiaries, Tubbs also spray painted "ALF" and "Go Vegan" on the trucks. This was the first of a 6 year-long series of arson and ecotage attacks by a group calling itself, "The Family," which was made up of about 20 individuals who were members of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Liberation Front (ELF). Between 1995 and 2001, the group committed nearly 20 attacks in the names of ELF and ALF. By 2006, all but four of the perpetrators had been captured for their roles in various incidents, and by 2008, the 16 indicted members had been convicted and sentenced for their crimes. Four remained fugitives. Kevin Tubbs was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
1 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
1 |
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
Brent L. Smith and Kelly R. Damphousse, " Patterns of precursor behaviors in the life span of a U.S. environmental terrorist group," Criminology & Public Policy, Volume 8, Issue 3, 2009. |
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. |
Jeff Barnard, "Animal Liberation Front arsonist faces sentencing in Oregon court," Associated Press State & Local Wire, May 24, 2007. |
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