Report: Alleged SUV firebomber may have ecoterror ties

By: Associated Press Wire Reports - | Sunday, May 20, 2007 7:00 PM PDT ∞

DENVER (AP) -- Arson investigators say a 24-year-old Denver man accused of planting firebombs under several SUVS in March may have had ties to ecoterror groups.

KCNC TV said arson investigators, who declined to be identified, said they want to search Grant Barnes' computer for anything that could link him to the Earth Liberation Front.

Police and fire investigators initially had played down any links to ELF or other ecoterror groups, and said that in one case it appeared ELF had been written on a vehicle after the bomb exploded. Fire spokesman Lt. Phil Champagne said Sunday he was not aware of any connection to a terror group.

Philip Cherner, the lawyer representing Barnes, declined comment.

A group of ELF members called the Family is accused of 20 arson attacks around the West that did $40 million in damage, including $12 million on Vail Mountain in 1998.

KCNC said explosives expert Mark Singer said the firebombs used in Denver appeared to have made using instructions on an ELF Web site. "They are a very crude device and they are also very effective when they function," Singer said.

Barnes, who allegedly put bombs under several SUVS over a four-day period, remains in jail on felony arson and use of explosives charges. No one was injured but some vehicles suffered heavy damage. Some of the bombs didn't explode.

Russell Bishop found a bomb under his Hummer and it was removed. "They're not just burning up a car. They're risking lives," Bishop said.

The shadowy group has no official spokesperson. No one replied immediately to a request for comment sent to their main Web site on Sunday morning.

Chris Dykes, who owned one of the vehicles, said ELF was written on a window. "I didn't even hear of ecoterrorism before that."

KCNC said a search warrant affidavit contained photos of suspicious devices found inside Barnes' car.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.