A new magazine published by Earth Warriors are OK! has updates on recent green scare investigations of environmental activists in Michigan. An excerpt from the magazine:
“Although “Green Scare” refers to a round of indictments that came down more than two years ago now, evidence suggests that was only the beginning. The Twin Cities Eco-Prisoner Support Committee believes that the next years will see more indictments stemming from continued investigations into ELF actions not encompassed by the first round–many of those occurred in the Midwestern United States, and court documents from some of the original Green Scare trials mention specifically some of those actions and people alleged to have been involved.
MINNESOTA
For more than two years here in Minneapolis, we’ve been hearing about Green Scare-related visits by our friendly local Joint Terrorism Task Force in which specific individuals, ELF and ALF actions are referenced. In fall of 2007, two individuals were subpoenaed to a grand jury- they refused to cooperate, and their depositions were canceled. Since then, we’ve confirmed that there is, indeed, an 18-month grand jury active in Minneapolis, which we believe to have begun no later than summer of 2007.
MICHIGAN
In the early months of 2008, indictments on numerous counts of arson and conspiracy were handed down to four individuals–Marie Mason, Stephanie Lynne Fultz, Aren Burthwick, and government informant Frank Ambrose–for ELF actions throughout Michigan. A fifth person, Jesse Waters, is expected to be indicted soon in relation to the same actions. Other indictments of an unknown nature, stemming from the same Grand Jury, are expected to be unsealed soon. Marie Mason is currently out, but isolated and restricted to the Western District of Michigan on $75,000, unsecured bond. Her trial date, which will probably be postponed, is currently set for May 27, 2008. At this time, the offer of support has been extended several times to both Stephanie and Aren, though neither seems to have accepted. Nonetheless, we have no reason to believe that either of them is cooperating. Likewise, Jesse Waters, who has an NLG lawyer and is aware of potential indictments, is not cooperating. Currently, there is an active grand jury convened in Grand Rapids, MI–it is likely that this grand jury will produce new indictments against unknown individuals and possibly hand down superseding indictments of previously indicted people. For updates on Marie’s situation, see her support site:
http://www.freemarie.org
GOVERNMENT INFORMANTS
The following two individuals are cooperating with the government in ELF investigations and the prosecution of their comrades. Beware of these known snitches–they are NOT TO BE TRUSTED under any circumstances, and they present a great danger to any spaces or communities they are in. We do not and will not ever support individuals who cooperate with the State, as our movement simply cannot afford to do so.
Ian Wallace
Born and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Ian Wallace was active with Big Woods Earth First! and the Live Wild Or Die collective in Minneapolis from 1999-2002. During this time he was involved in many civil disobedience actions against Home Depot. He is currently pursuing a graduate degree in physical anthropology at Stony Brook University in upstate New York. During Daniel McGowan’s June 2007 sentencing, it was stated in open court by Daniel’s prosecutor that Ian Wallace is cooperating with an ongoing investigation into Midwest ELF actions. We have confirmed this information with numerous trusted sources since the original report was released, and have no doubts as to its veracity. We will post any updates to:
http://www.midwestgreenscare.org
Frank Ambrose
Frank Ambrose, recently indicted on arson and conspiracy counts in Michigan, has accepted a plea bargain that involves full cooperation with the government. He has admitted his involvement in numerous additional ELF actions throughout the Midwest, and has provided names of many activists to the government. Frank Ambrose is said to have been traveling around the country–both to an EF! gathering in Florida (he offered and paid for the airfare of other people to this gathering) and to the West Coast–following the April 10th, 2007 raid on his residence. He is suspected to have begun cooperating with the FBI shortly after that raid, and has produced countless audio tapes for the government, including recordings of a large portion of the 2008 EF! Organizers’ Conference in Florida. For detailed evidence of Frank Ambrose’s cooperation, go to the North American Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network’s page about him:
http://www.ecoprisoners.org/ambrose.htm
The full magazine contains a wealth of information about repression directed at the radical environmental movement.
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