The Province [Vancouver, BC, Canada]
Thursday, August 1, 2002

Animal rights activist 'terrorist'

By Stuart Hunter
Staff Reporter

A U.S. sheriff says he'll talk to his FBI counterparts today with an
eye to
pursuing a B.C. animal-rights activist as an international terrorist.

Sheriff Everett Flannery of Kennebec County in central Maine told The
Province that David Barbarash of Courtenay could be the key to
solving
hundreds of crimes believed perpetrated across the U.S. by ALF, the
Animal
Liberation Front.

Barbarash, the self-proclaimed ALF spokesman, claims he's the victim
of
harassment by police.

A search warrant executed this week by the RCMP Integrated National
Security
Enforcement Team at Barbarash's Courtenay home yielded evidence
police were
sifting through yesterday.

"They found quite a bit of evidence linking this individual to the
ALF ,"
Flannery said. "I'm looking at talking to the FBI [today] and seeing
if they
want to take this case at the federal level because it looks like
it's an
issue where we are talking international terrorist organizations."

Barbarash is wanted for questioning in Maine in connection with a
series of
1999 vandalism-style attacks on rod and gun clubs and a Food and Drug
Agency
building.

Barbarash, who was not at home when police arrived Tuesday, said
officers
broke down his front door, smashed a window and let his cats out.

They seized computers, files, videos and other paperwork.

Police also seized 33 marijuana plants which Barbarash said were for
personal
use, and cash during the raid.

No charges have been laid.

"I don't even know what Maine incidents they are taking about,"
Barbarash
said. "It's an outrage this type of action would occur in Canada on
behalf of
the U.S. What does this say about our sovereignty?"

Barbarash, 37, said he plans to fight to have his property returned
at a
hearing slated for Aug. 14 in a Vancouver courtroom. And he plans to
make a
complaint against the RCMP.

The FBI currently ranks ALF and its sister group, the Earth
Liberation Front,
as the No. 1 domestic terrorism threats to the U.S., estimating the
two
groups have committed more than 600 criminal acts since 1996 with
damages
topping $43 million U.S., although no one has been killed.

Barbarash and cohort Darren Thurston were once charged with sending
razor
blades alleged to contain poison to B.C. hunting guides. The charges
were
dropped.