Posted by wstp at 3/3/08 8:09 p.m.

Wow -- although your story starts by saying you don't know 'for sure' if the ELF was behind the arson, the remainder of the story makes it clear that your mind is made up. Proof? Who needs that? Someone left a sign with their name on it -- what more proof could anyone need? Geez -- have you NEVER seen a detective show or read a mystery? Hmmm... five multi million homes built at a time when the housing industry in in the toilet... could ANYONE else possibly have a motive for torching these non-sellers? Were they insured? If so -- who is collecting the money? Or ...maybe one of those folks who just likes starting fires was at work again, and maybe they thought a clever ruse like leaving a sign would throw hard working investigators off the trail.
Sorry Monica, but this is just plain bad journalism. Try another line of work -- but not mystery writing.

Posted by KaseysPlanet at 3/3/08 9:06 p.m.

The two leading culprits in no particular order would be ELF or a financially strapped builder/contractor. Least likely would be a garden variety serial arsonist or teen pranksters. Since Insurance is involved (Course of Construction policy) the companies will investigate vigorously. The current trial of the Eco-Terrorist and the sign clearly point to ELF. Yet the builder/contractor cannot be dismissed out of hand as historically arson has always been a salvation for them when financially strapped.

Posted by FREE_BALLARD_4ever at 3/3/08 9:51 p.m.

I blame britney. She's just mad because k-fed divorced her....oh wait wrong forum.
Let's blame someone who hasn't had their turn yet. Becuase we need to be fair to all the other "eco/domestic/foreign terrorists".

Posted by Felon for Rossi at 3/3/08 9:52 p.m.

I just realized that ELF has been in the Puget Sound area for a very long time:

The Indians of this area used to live in very big houses, called Long Houses. Some were as big as a football field. Talk about a McMansion. Anyway when the dirty, liberal, disease ridden "Bostons" moved out here, the first thing they did was burn down all the Indian's longhouses.

Thus there is a tradition of burning down big homes in rural areas in Puget Sound. Just ask any Native American.

Posted by DamnageD at 3/4/08 6:23 a.m.

Monica,

The ELF and ALF have been the Northwest for far longer than you realize. You really do need to do a better job of gathering your facts.

I had the misfortune for working for a ELF cover group in the early 90's, and roughly the same time discovering members of the ALF. I was lucky to notice this, and exit stage left, ASAP.

They are far more cautious and embedded in common areas of society than you may imagine. They're not the young, unwashed heathens the media portrays, although it is easy to lambaste the Olympia or Eugene hair-farmers.

However, in this day and age of greed and dishonesty, I wouldn't be surprised one iota if some other group did this and tagged it with the ELF just to throw the trail.

It worked on the rest of the public.

Posted by Green Party at 3/4/08 6:29 a.m.

My gosh, the most advanced building technology is non-combustible and seismic safe, and costs little more than stick-built. I do not understand why homes are still being built of wood.

Today there happens to be an Open House at the Next Gen Home in West Seattle. Press Conference there at 11:00. Each year a location is chosen somewhere in the nation for the Next Gen home, which showcases all the latest technologies in building and sustainability. This year the Next Gen Home happens to be in Seattle, so come see this non-combustible and seismic-safe home, today.

Posted by sustainability at 3/4/08 9:30 a.m.

Maybe the media should assess more deeply what underlies the motivation of people who take such extreme measures to provide a message. Why it takes this kind of act to counteract political ennui that ignores the limits to growth and now just becoming obvious unsustainability consequences. Why journalism avoids the cause and effect attributes of population growth, of pursuing unlimited growth, and why desperation leads to such crying out for some kind of sustainability. The indicators of something grim are all around us, whether it involves basics like water, wheat, or no-longer cheap energy. Apparently some desperately need to make something known. Too bad it is not done constructively.

Posted by unregistered user at 3/4/08 9:52 a.m.

terrorists harm people and make a point of threatening lives, i think ecoterrorism is a term that suits the companies destroying the environment not the people dedicated to protecting it. And maybe it is about time companies start recognizing alternative materials.

Posted by Will in Seattle at 3/4/08 10:58 a.m.

The reality is that it's highly likely to be insurance fraud - arson usually is, especially for unsold houses that sat unsold for nearly a year, where the only house that didn't burn down was the one that had an offer on it.

But that's called logic.

Fear mongering is so much easier ... let's all be scared of terrorists, even if the chance of you and yours being harmed by terrorism is something like 1/1000th your chance of being hit by a car crashing into your house.

Posted by wstp at 3/4/08 3:32 p.m.

Obviously 'terrorist' stories sell more newspapers and get more web hits than stories about house fires or even arson. The real alarming thing is that whatever the government calls 'terrorism' is 'terrorism' and they get to play by a different set of rules. That may seem fine when dealing with 'real' terrorists, but when the term is applied to peaceful protesters or non-violent demonstrators, it becomes an entirely different animal.
As for:
"A terrorist is simply that " A terrorist " and should be hunted down and shot on sight for just belonging to the group."

Hmm... isn't that a quote from England's King George? It seems to me that's exactly what he said about Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington and all the other members of that terrorist gang.
What was it again... the CLF (Colonial Liberation Front)?

Posted by unregistered user at 3/4/08 4:49 p.m.

"Posted by Will in Seattle at 3/4/08 10:58 a.m.
The reality is that it's highly likely to be insurance fraud ..."
REALLY, Will? Are you with the FBI? Do records show that any of these builders are in bad financial shape?
Do you really want to libel a victim?
How about letting law enforcement do the sleuthing.
Sheesh.
Idiots read the P-I.

Posted by unregistered user at 3/5/08 10:42 a.m.

To bad they didn't burn more.

Posted by unregistered user at 3/5/08 12:42 p.m.

whether this action was carried out by someone who really feels kinship with the ELFs or by some messed up developer the result was the same: getting the idea of taking power back into our own hands into the media. The ELF is more an idea than an organization. Ideas spread.

Posted by unregistered user at 3/5/08 7:10 p.m.

Very interesting indeed... Being a radical environmentalist I do sympathize with people who feel that direct action is the last resort. I have had this argument with several people over the last few days. But if we think about this, would anyone have known about these urban sprawl mansions destroying lakes and precious forests if "whoever" caused this kind of media stir. I live on the east coast of Canada and this story made it to our local news paper! This is HUGE! Kudos to whoever risked their life in the name of a just cause. However, I do think this was too rash, also the C02 emissions must be massive by burning these crap houses filled with plastics and carcinogens.

Can we not coexist and realize the earth belongs to all of us including animals, bugs, trees and humans.

Posted by unregistered user at 3/6/08 8:54 a.m.

Dear E.L.F.,

As an avid hiker, Environmental Engineer and concerned environmentalist I must ask a question that NO ONE is willing to answer. I personally believe our planet is being destroyed by people who don't care, industry, wars, and by so called groups of people claiming to care about the environment. I am starting to believe that E.L.F. falls into that category.

How do you explain the fact that E.L.F. is suppose to be defending the environment when you burn buildings, autos and so on? Don't you realize that the toxic fumes from the burning wood, composites, plastic, rubber, and many many more chemicals are being released into the air, washed out into the soil and released into the environment? I witnessed several years ago a fire started by supposively by a E.L.F member. When the fire men applied water to the burning building the run off went straight into a nearby creek. The run off contained chemicals from the wood, siding and much more. The toxic levels in the nearby water and soil is SPIKED greatly after one of the ELF Fires. WHY would you say you defend the environment and do such an act?

PLEASE enlighten me with some type of reason for doing this??? WHY are you destroying our environment??? Have you ever heard of "LEAVE NO TRACE"?

Posted by unregistered user at 3/6/08 11:25 a.m.

George Bush was seen setting the fires. In the same manner as his planting explosives in New Orleans and in the World Trade Center.

Posted by unregistered user at 3/6/08 11:41 a.m.

There's more information about how the press has dropped the ball on the Seattle arsons, labeling it as "eco-terrorism" before we even know the facts, at GreenIsTheNewRed.com.