Posted on 10/15/2008 11:31:48 PM PDT by Robert357
Former CSIS strategist David Harris says a weekend explosion near the town of Dawson Creek in northeastern B.C. fits the description of terrorism, despite police statements to the contrary.
Sometime overnight Saturday, someone detonated a large explosion next to the sour gas pipeline about 50 kilometres from the B.C.-Alberta border.
The blast did not rupture the pipeline but blew a 1.8-metre crater in the ground, which was discovered by a hunter on Sunday.
"How on earth anyone could declare this was not terrorism at this early stage is beyond me. Terrorism is associated with an attempt by threat or actual violence … to change policy," said Harris, former chief of strategic planning for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and now a private security expert.
The previous week, suspicious handwritten letters arrived at newspapers and a TV station in Dawson Creek calling EnCana Corp. and other energy companies "terrorists" for expanding "deadly" gas wells and giving the firms a deadline to shut down operations, including the gas plant served by the pipeline.
"You have until Oct. 11, 2008 (Saturday, 12 noon) to close down your operations … and leave the area until further notice," the letters said.
"We will not negotiate with terrorists, which you are, as you keep on endangering our families with crazy expansion of deadly gas wells in our homelands," the letters said.
RCMP spokesman Sgt. Tim Shields called the blast a serious criminal matter but stopped short of calling the explosion terrorism.
"It was set there … with the intent to blow up that pipeline. That's a threat to the infrastructure of this province," said Shields. "We're not categorizing this as terrorism."
"We just don't want to start using the word terrorism at this point. It gives credence and maybe satisfaction to the people who are involved in setting this explosive off," he said.
Police view disputed But Harris said that was exactly what the explosion was.
Police would not comment on whether the blast had any connection to the recent theft of a huge cache of dynamite from a work site in nearby Chetwynd in July.
Shields said investigators are worried whoever is responsible could strike again.
"We are concerned that there could be another similar incident or even one in a more populated area."
Peace River South MLA Blair Lekstrom said the Kelly Lake Métis community is just some 40 kilometres away from where the targeted pipeline is located.
Lekstrom said people's safety is a concern because the area near the pipeline is used by hikers, hunters, and outdoorsmen.
The targeted pipeline is owned by EnCana and carries sour gas to the Steep Rock gas plant, police said. Sour gas is a form of natural gas that contains hydrogen sulphide, a toxic substance that is removed through a treatment process at the plant.
The RCMP investigation is being conducted by members from the force's explosives disposal unit, the forensic identification section and the integrated national security enforcement team.
Ecoterrorism isn't, of course.
We had a domestic act of terrorism several years ago, a nutjob took a .338 rifle and managed to pierce the Alaska Pipeline, under pressure it spewed I think over 100,000 gallons of oil before it was found and plugged.
For those that are cartridge illiterate its a round that is highly favored here in Alaska, it is heavier and packs more punch than a 30-06 which most people consider a heavy round, I have a Ruger .338 myself and I handload my ammunition.
"Police would not comment on whether the blast had any connection to the recent theft of a huge cache of dynamite from a work site in nearby Chetwynd in July."
eco-terrorism aka obama-fanatic
Off Topic...
QUOTE:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2099235/posts?page=251#251
stepping back in time...
http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2004/05/shannen-rossmiller-american-hero.html
#
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/06/america/NA-GEN-US-Terror-Sting.php
“US man sentenced to 30 years in plot to blow up pipelines”
The Associated Press
Published: November 6, 2007
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “SCRANTON, Pennsylvania: A Pennsylvania man was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in federal prison for plotting to help what he believed was an al-Qaida operative blow up U.S. oil pipelines and refineries.”
251 posted on October 15, 2008 11:55:43 PM PDT by Cindy
That would be an understatement. .338 packs WAY more punch than 30-06. (My shoulder hurts just thinking about it.)
Well hells bells, then, call it eco-sabotage instead for crying out loud and get on with the rounding up of all freaks, hippies, granola-eaters, birkenstock-wearers, and swarthy, shifty-eyed foreigners like yesterday already!!
That's a mild understatement. It'll killya dead in a heartbeat. Having it spewing under pressure would be a monsters dream.
Yes, that’s a bigger hole than would be likely from young men playing with illegal devices and not trying to harm anything. I don’t have enough specific info on the exact distance from the line and type of signature (the hole, any parts, etc.) to know more. It is only apparent that the attempted sabotage (if that’s what it was) was not done by anyone with training for that. ...wanna-be terrorist or terrorists, IMO.
The part I do not get is why someone who alleges they are concerned about the environment would make an attempt to rupture such a line.
Anything which breathes oxygen and is in the plume will likely die. How does that safeguard anything?
But the message gets out anyway.
A while ago a joint RCMP, OPP and municipal police forces operation in Ontario arrested a group of young men who had been engaging in paramilitary training and buying huge quantities of ammonium nitrate fertiliser. The RCMP press representative described the subjects as being representative of a broad spectrum of Canadian society. This just before their names were read out in arraignment court and their female relatives all showed up at the courthouse wearing burkhas.
Point made without turning the police into a lightning rod.
Isn’t that pipeline schedule 80 high moly cold weather pipe? I’m surprised anything under .50 cal could pierce it.
.338 carries twice the power.
Trans-Alaska Pipeline Shot By A Drunk
http://www.solcomhouse.com/trans.htm
Ouch. A very expensive "hold muh beer and watch this" moment.
Nothing like waking up in jail with a bad hangover and realizing you just ruined your life. "I did WHAT????!"
You’re welcome fanfan.
Planting late batches of bulbs/sub-zero roses today.
Just call them Ayerists, eh?
I plan to plant garlic this weekend.
:-)
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