Caltech Graduate Student Arrested in SUV Arson, Vandalism Spree (Earth Liberation Front)

ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking ^

[chance33_98]

Caltech Graduate Student Arrested in SUV Arson, Vandalism Spree

By Greg Risling Associated Press Writer Published: Mar 9, 2004

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A California Institute of Technology graduate student was arrested Tuesday in connection with an August arson and vandalism spree targeting 125 sports utility vehicles at four car dealerships, the FBI said. William Cottrell, 23, used an alias when he e-mailed The Los Angeles Times, claiming to be a member of the eco-terrorist group Earth Liberation Front and offering specific details to prove his involvement in the firebombings, the FBI said.

"The FBI hasn't seemed to pick up on any of them (clues), which makes this whole ordeal rather boring for us, the true culprits," one e-mail boasted, the FBI said in an affidavit.

Authorities searched Caltech classrooms and tracked the e-mails to Cottrell, a grad student in the physics department, according to the affidavit. They also seized six computers from the campus.

Cottrell was arrested for investigation of arson and vandalism. He was ordered held without bail at a court hearing. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 40 years in prison, the U.S. attorney's office said.

"The charges are unfounded," defense attorney Stephen Alexander said outside court.

Cottrell's father described his son as bright, hardworking and somewhat eccentric but incapable of the acts alleged by the government.

"We were hopeful he wouldn't be charged," Dr. William Milnes Cottrell said from his Concord, N.C., home. "We are very unhappy about it. We are still reasonably sure he wasn't a primary agent in this deed."

Prosecutors estimate the total damage was about $2.3 million.

"Those who set fires, like those at the Hummer dealership in West Covina, are misguided zealots," FBI Assistant Director Richard Garcia said in a statement.

The firebombing spree hit four car dealerships and at least four privately owned vehicles in communities east of Pasadena, where Caltech is located and where Cottrell was arrested.

The West Covina attack destroyed or damaged 72 vehicles, mostly SUVS, and a parts warehouse.

"We are understandably dismayed at the possibility that a Caltech student had any involvement with those acts," said Robert O'Rourke, Caltech's vice president for public relations.

[stands2reason]

A student. What a shock.

[SBprone]

Did he break a Federal law in his crime spree? I sure hope so. The Feds have those mandatory sentencing guidelines, and of course there's always room for more in the Federal joint.

[Prime Choice]

It is a bit of a shock, actually. Well, at least to me. Caltech students tend to be a sight brighter than your average college punk. Guess this one is just a bad apple who's getting all the press.

[JRandomFreeper]

A student. What a shock.

I wonder what his major was? Probably nothing dealing with physical reality.

/john

[SwyChron 101]

What do many universities teach these days? Bill Clinton/Hillary are the result, and it is sickening.

[monkey]

It's a shame, given his potential. He could have been one of those people who are grad students for decades.

[spectre]

A 23 year old physics student at one of the great tech universities.

If convicted, a great future down the toilet and heavy prison time.

Why? Because he hung around with and was apparently influenced by world-class wackjobs.

Sad

[Kirkwood]

Put him to work for life in a slaughterhouse or cutting down trees.

[Verginius Rufus]

About the same time last year the ELF claimed responsibility for arson which destroyed an apartment building being built near the UCSD campus in La Jolla...I think the damage was estimated at much more than in the SUV vandalism incidents. As far as I know they haven't arrested anyone yet for that.

[altair]

He hasn't been convicted yet, people. Caltech was strange environment when I was there in the early 80's and I suspect that hasn't changed much. I would not be surprised if this was a (stupid) prank gone bad.

[dogbrain]

stupid prank?

You mean like setting a bag of dogcrap on fire under a bunch of SUV's?

[Kirkwood]

I seem to recall that ELF burned down homes and condo complexes being built near Bloomington, Indiana, and also threatened to take the lives of some residents there.

[Kirkwood]

Oh yeah, elf also burned down a GOP headquarters in Bloomington.

http://www.animalrights.net/discussion/fullthread$msgnum=460

[Bobibutu]

What do many universities teach these days?

We started down-hill in the late '50s - by the 60's it was rampid. It takes a strong mind to get thru the liberal/socialist/communist education system and be succesful .. my boyhood and best friend grad of Berkeley - (he became a freshman at 16) worked on the design of the nosecone for the Polaris and built atomic bombs (slept in the lab (Sandia&LRL) - the overtime was great) during the Kennedy a-bomb test run up before the treaty with the Soviet Union - as a student!

Went on to MIT and founded a company with one of his professors.

Alas he was killed by a drunk driver in Boston - however he stands that if your goals and purpose are focused - one can make it thru a liberal education system and still use it to embrace the capitalistic system - for the betterment on mankind and your own pocketbook.

He focused on physics - computers and engineering - and said the the rest was all sh*t - to do to get your degree.

I was shocked by the essays he wrote in the early 60's - he wrote them just to get the grade and never left his focus. He understood. I wish there were many more Barry Harder's. I hope there are now.

[Spruce]

Make the boy spend 1 week with all the families affected by his "activism".

[LenS]

He's a terrorist. Try him and hang him. Then find the rest of his ELF comrades and repeat process.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I would hate to be the one who has to break the news to the bros down at the jailhouse that every one of those SUVs had an amnesty writ for each of them along with the keys and title on the seat. A little gift from the governor. But, dang, it would break my heart to have to tell them.

[breakem]

yeah, the feds will give him 5 years for property damage and 20 years because the cash in his pocket had cocaine dust on it.