http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=02/08/21/5304144 These people need our support. They are facing a lot of time and the Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force is looking to convict some people to justify their existence.Please check the website below to keep updated on this case. ++++++++++++++
August 14: Four Activists Indicted for Log Truck Arson (Portland, Oregon) The Oregon FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested two people today in connection with an arson fire that damaged log trucks in Eagle Creek in June of last year. Two others were indicted and are being sought.The truck fire happened near where protesters were camped out to block the now-canceled Eagle Creek timber sale. The fire destroyed these log trucks near Eagle Creek in June 2001. Federal prosecutors said the suspects face up to a million dollars in fines and 30 years in jail. A well-known Portland activist is among those indicted. Michael J. Scarpitti -- who goes by the name Tre Arrow -- is most known for living on a ledge of the U.S. Forest Service building in downtown Portland two years ago in a timber protest that lasted eleven days. Officers are searching for Scarpitti, along with activist Angela Marie Cesario, to arrest them in this developing case.Twenty-year-old Jacob Sherman and 25-year-old Jeremy Rosenbloom were indicted by a federal grand jury shortly before today's arrests at their residences. They made an initial court appearance this afternoon and trial was set for October 16th. Investigators said these arrests are a key breakthrough in the investigation into the ecoterrorism arson case at Eagle Creek. The damaged log trucks belong to Ray Schoppert Logging Company, which had a contract to log the 1,030-acre Eagle Creek timber sale. The sale was the subject of prolonged protests and has since been canceled. Court documents do not link the four suspects to the ecoterrorism groups ELF or ALF, but said the incinerary devices used to torch the Eagle Creek logging trucks were similiar to the formula used to set Ross Island Sand and Gravel trucks on fire in a similar case. The Earth Liberation Front claimed responsibility in that arson but the case is still pending. August 15: Update on Log Truck Arson Indictments Popular forest activist Tre Arrow remained a fugitive on arson charges Wednesday as a federal magistrate in Portland freed his three co-defendants from jail pending trial. Arrow's co-defendants Jacob D.B. Sherman, 20; Angela M. Cesario, 23; and Jeremy D. Rosenbloom, 25 -- pleaded not guilty to charges that they set fire to logging trucks during last year's protests of the Eagle Creek timber sale. Each faces up to 80 years in prison. Authorities took Sherman and Rosenbloom into custody Tuesday morning, and Cesario turned herself in that evening. Attorneys for the three said in court Wednesday that their clients have long been aware the FBI was investigating the June 1, 2001, arson at Ray A. Schoppert Logging Inc. near Estacada. Yet none fled, they said. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Jelderks noted that the three had no criminal records, held jobs and were students at Portland State University. Jelderks released them pending trial but with conditions: They must remain in Portland -- Cesario also may travel to Gresham -- and stay at home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Also, Jelderks said they are not to associate with environmental groups. None of the activists quibbled about that condition But Andrew Bates, Sherman's lawyer, argued that it appeared to violate free-speech rights. "It seems fundamentally unconstitutional," he said. Jelderks said the defendants were free to return to court seeking redress of the restriction. But he cautioned that FBI agents might monitor such associations as part of their investigation, which might hurt their defense. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CFA Statement About a month before the Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force (PJTTF) is scheduled to expire (pending reauthorization by the Portland City Council) it has indicted four people for damaging three log trucks more than a year ago. Under pressure to produce “results” to justify its continued existence, the suspicious timing of these indictments appears to be politically motivated. Police and PJTTF refused to reveal even general information about the evidence they are using to justify the indictments. They also refused to answer questions from the media about how much money has been spent on this investigation. During hearings last fall, city officials admitted that the PJTTF’s files are completely insulated from all public review, including Mayor Katz and even Chief Kroeker himself. Given the highly suspicious nature of these indictments, the lack of accountability to the people of Portland, and the well documented FBI history of framing activists,we have no confidence in the validity of these indictments. On June 11, 2002, a court verdict proved that the FBI, in collusion with the Oakland Police Department, violated the First and Fourth Amendment rights of Earth First! activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney. The jury was outraged by the actions of the FBI and Oakland Police Department, and assigned $4.4 million in punitive and compensatory damages. (Bari v. USA, Northern District Court of California, 2002) There is no better example than the Judi Bari case to show that the FBI continues to use covert action tactics against political movements and activists which they perceive as threats to the established order. In spite of knowing full well from their own expert's testimony that Bari and Cherney were innocent victims of a bomb attempt on their lives, the FBI and Oakland police continued to lie to the media, saying there was plenty of evidence they were the bombers. The FBI refused to follow up on ample evidence as to the identity of the true bomber, who remains at large to this day. The FBI used the “investigation” of the bombing as a pretext for nation-wide monitoring of EarthFirst!, creating dossiers on over 500 people who received phone calls from Bari or Cherney or one of 14 people associated with them. Here in Portland, the PJTTF has amassed a consistent record of spying on and harrassing citizens engaged in legal, non-violent protests. Three of the four people indicted have been active with social justice issues through Portland State University. The fourth person indicted, Tre Arrow, has a history of very public nonviolent civil disobedience and ran against congressional representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore) on the Green Party ticket, receiving 15,000 votes In a recent example of the collusion of local police departments and the FBI to suppress citizen dissent, people visiting a public timber sale area have been, in the last week, stopped, photographed, interrogated, hand-cuffed, harrassed and intimidated by law enforcement – after more than an hour of this mis-treatment, police released the citizens without charges. These actions were justified by “an on-going investigation” into a non-violent protest at the Solo timber sale auction. Citizens engaged in lawful, Constitutionally-protected protest, had pictures, vehicle information and videotapes of themselves passed on to the FBI by the Clackamas County Sheriff. These “investigations” are thinly-veiled attempts to intimidate and prevent citizens from participating in activism to protect public forest lands. The PJTTF has made no meaningful arrests, or progress towards enhancing public safety during its existence. Its focus seems to be “investigating” lawful nonviolent political groups and property crimes, not violent crimes against persons. This tactic appears to have little to do with protecting the public from terrorism, and points toward the PJTTF’s true intent: Defending big timber, biotech, and multinational corporations from the protests of outraged citizens. Cascadia Forest Alliance stands in solidarity with those who are being harrassed and targeted by the PJTTF for their political beliefs. The PJTTF’s disgraceful attempts to justify their continued tax-payer funding do nothing to enhance public safety, while eroding civil liberties and the very freedoms that Oregonians and Americans hold dear. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ FBI Press Release Regarding Four Arrests in Portland, Oregon For Immediate Release- August 13, 2002 Portland, Oregon. (503) 224-4181 The Portland, Oregon FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) made two arrests on Tuesday, August 13, 2002, related to a domestic terrorism case. JTTF members arrested JACOB DAVID BARDWELL SHERMAN, age 20, and JEREMY DAVID ROSENBLOOM, age 25, this morning in connection with the arson attack at the Ray Schoppert Logging Company on June 1, 2001. The federal grand jury has also returned an indictment relating to the Schoppert arson against JACOB DAVID BARDWELL SHERMAN, ANGELA CESARIO, JEREMY DAVID ROSENBLOOM and MICHAEL J. SCARPITTI. The JTTF is attempting to locate ANGELA MARIE CESARIO, age 23, and MICHAEL J. SCARPITTI a/k/a TRE ARROW, age 28. Michael Mosman, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon; Hardy Myers, Oregon Attorney General; Charles Mathews III, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon; Mark Kroeker, Chief of the Portland Police Bureau; Ron Ruecker, Superintendent of the Oregon State Police; David Bishop, Chief of the Beaverton Police Department; Carson Carroll, Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Division of ATF; Craig Magill, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management; and Tom Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Forest Service, made the announcement on Tuesday. Members of the JTTF made both of the arrests Tuesday morning without incident. SHERMAN, ROSENBLOOM, CESARIO, and SCARPITTI each face four counts for damaging vehicles and other property used in interstate commerce, for obstructing the movement of commodities in interstate commerce (Hobbs Act), for using violence to interfere with commerce (Hobbs Act) and using an incendiary device to commit an act of violence. If convicted on all counts, each person could face a fine of up to $1 million dollars or up to 80years in federal prison or both. Given a plea agreement or conviction at trial, it would be the responsibility of the federal judge presiding over these cases to determine punishment. SHERMAN and ROSENBLOOM are currently in custody, awaiting their initial appearances before United States Magistrate Jelderks at 1:30 p.m. today. In addition to the arrests, JTTF members served a search warrant at SHERMAN's current residence, 7015 SE 39th Avenue, Portland, Oregon. The arson at Schoppert Logging Company caused about $50,000 in damage. The June, 1, 2001 fire destroyed one truck and damaged two others. The trucks were sitting in front of the companys building on Highway 224 near Estacada when the fire broke out about 2:40 a.m. No person or group claimed responsibility for the fire. Schoppert Logging was under contract to start logging in the Eagle Creek area of the Mount Hood National Forest the very day of the attack. Investigators have noted similarities in physical evidence found at the scene of the Schoppert fire and evidence found at the scene of the attack against Ross Island Sand and Gravel in Portland on April 15, 2001. The Earth Liberation Front (ELF) claimed responsibility for the Ross Island attack via a press release. This arson, which happened on Easter morning, destroyed three trucks and caused more than $200,000 in damage. The investigation into the Ross Island attack continues. The FBI considers ELF a domestic terrorism group and both arsons to be acts of domestic terrorism. Todays arrests are the first for the JTTF relating to eco-terrorism investigations in Oregon. In addition to the Schoppert Logging Company and Ross Island Sand and Gravel arsons, the JTTF is investigating the following incidents considered acts of domestic terrorism: 10/28/96 U.S. Forest Service vehicle arson and Detroit Ranger Station vandalism, $20,000 in damages, Detroit, OR (no claim) 10/30/96 U.S. Forest Service Ranger Station arson fire, Oakridge, OR (no claim); 7/21/97 Cavel West (horse meat packing company) arson, $1.4 million in damages, Redmond, OR (Animal Liberation Front claim); 11/29 - 11/30/97 Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Corral, arson and release of 400 horses, $350,000 in damages, Burns, OR (ALF claim); 12/27/98 U.S. Forest Industries arson, $500,000 in damages, Medford, OR (ELF claim); 9/99 Childers Meat Company arson, $500,000 in damages, Eugene, OR (ALF claim); /25/99 Boise Cascade office arson, $1 million in damages, Monmouth, OR (ELF claim); 6/4-6/5/00 Pure Seed Testing vandalism, $300,000-$500,000 in damages, Canby, OR (Anarchist Golfing Association claim); 9/6/00 Eugene Police Department Substation arson fire, Eugene, OR (no claim); 1/2/01 Superior Lumber Company, arson fire, $400,000 in damages, Glendale, OR (ELF claim); 3/30/01 Romania Chevrolet arson fire, $1 million in damages, Eugene, OR (no claim, ELF publicly supported); 5/21/01 Jefferson Poplar Farms arson, $500,000 in damages, Clatskanie, OR (ELF claim). The Joint Terrorism Task Force includes 13 agencies: The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Immigration and Naturalization Service; the Internal Revenue Service; the U.S. Postal Service; the U.S. Secret Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the U.S. Customs Service; the Oregon State Police; the Portland Police Bureau; and the Beaverton Police Department. These charges are only an accusation of the crime. These defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Link: http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk
