Incident Summary:
01/1/2000: Four members of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) torched commercial logging equipment, including a flat-bed trailer and a large logging tractor, on the side of Michigan Highway 115, near Mesick, Michigan in the Unites States, causing over $18,000 in damage. There were no casualties in the incident, which was committed to sabotage lumbering activity. The four perpetrators, Marie Jeanette Mason, Frank Brian Ambrose, Aren Bernard Burthwick, and Stephanie Lynne Fultz, were also indicted for the New Year's Eve Michigan State University arson in 1999 (199912310003).
Overview
GTD ID:
200001010027
When:
2000-01-01
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Michigan
City:
Near Mesick
Location Details:
at Michigan 115 Highway near Mesick, MI
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
commercial logging equipment |
Specific Description |
commercial logging equipment on the side of M-115 Highway near Mesick, MI |
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 |
$18,000.00 |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Incendiary |
Gasoline or Alcohol |
Weapon Details |
gasoline, charcoal and matches used to set the fire |
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 four perpetrators were also indicted for the New Year's Eve 1999 arson at Michigan State University (199912310003). For the two incidents, Marie Mason was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months, and Frank Ambrose was sentenced to nine years due to his cooperation with the government; Burthwick and Fultz were indicted and still awaiting trial as of 2009. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
4 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
4 |
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
"AG Hall Arsonist Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison," States News Service, February 5, 2009. |
Art Bukowski, "Activists planned MSU arson plot in Empire: ELF also accused of arson in Mesick," Traverse City Record-Eagle, March 14, 2008. |
Justice Department Documents and Publications, "Four Charged in Earth Liberation Front Arsons in Michigan," Federal Information and News Dispatch, Inc., March 11, 2008. |
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