ELF activist released after seven years imprisonment.

Seven years ago Daniel McGowan was arrested in the US for his alleged involvement in two arsons in Oregon in 2001 that were both claimed by the Earth Liberation Front. Prior to the events of  9/11 , the Earth Liberation Front  were publicly considered by the U.S authorities to be the number one domestic  terrorist threat in the United States. The group worked in anonymous separate cells targeting ski resorts, lumber companies, SUV dealerships and Forest Service Ranger stations causing millions of dollars worth of damage in defence of the wilderness.

McGowan was charged in federal court on counts of arson, property destruction and conspiracy. The arsons in question where against two privately owned companies Superior Lumber in Glendale, Oregon and Jefferson Poplar Farms in Clatskanie, Oregon. Jefferson Poplar had been selected as an ELF target because it was believed it was involved in genetic research by growing a hybrid variety of poplar-cottonwood trees that would help timber companies replace the region’s old-growth forests with commercial tree farms.

After his arrest Daniel McGowan was given a stark choice - to co-operate with the authorities (rat) or stand trial and possibly spend the reminder of his life imprisoned (he was initially looking at rather stiff  335 years imprisonment). 

He chose the latter.Opting for a non cooperation plea agreement he plead guilty on November 9th 2006. His case was part of Operation Backfire, the code-name for for the operation against 'eco-terrorism'.

He has spent the last four years incarcerated in two experimental prison units, known as Communication Management Units. These units basically restrict communication between prisoners and the outside. Part of the CMU system means inmates are not allowed physical contact with others during visits. They can only talk for mere minutes a month to loved ones. According to the American government CMU’s are for those prisoners with “inspirational significance”. They are meant to ostracise political prisoners like McGowan from the outside world and the movement that supports them. McGowan was released and put in a half way-house on December the 11th, he will stay there for a few months and after that he will be under supervised release for 3 years.