Dibe's arrest marked the end of a decade long man hunt for one of the agencys most wonted domestic terrorists. In two thousand six dibe was indicted on a charge of participation in a series of arsons carried out by a shadowy band of environmental activists known as the earth liberation front. Dibe had spent years as a fugitive in syria, russia and mexico, until he was picked up passing through havana. After his interrogation by the cuban authorities, the fbi flew him in a gulf stream jet to portland, oregon, where he was arraigned for charges relating to his role in the attacks.
Warning of imminent ecological catastrophe, the Earth Liberation Front became notorious in the late 1990s for setting fire to symbols of ecological destruction, including timber mills, an S.U.V. dealership and a ski resort. The group was widely demonized. Its exploits were condemned by mainstream environmental groups, ridiculed by the media and inspired a furious crackdown from law enforcement.
But in 2022 the group is more relevant than ever. These days even America’s mainstream environmental movement has begun to take a more confrontational approach, having previously confined its activities largely to rallies, marches and other lawful forms of protest. Even the “staid” environmental groups based in Washington have slowly started to embrace more radical tactics. Climate activists are starting to abandon their dogmatic attachment to pacifism, choosing instead to work toward destroying the “machines” inflicting the damage — but will such a radical idea prove effective?
The journalist Matthew Wolfe delves into the world of the activists, and questions the future of environmental activism.
This story was written by Matthew Wolfe and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.