From: David Bischel, President, California Forestry Association

From: David Bischel, President, California Forestry Association
June 18, 1998
The Honorable Bill McCollum
U.S. House of Representatives
2266 RHOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman McCollum:
I am writing in reference to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime hearing which you conducted on June 9, 1998 to address the growing problem of environmental terrorism. I’d like to thank you for your help in exposing the breadth and depth of these insidious crimes.
You may not be aware that Gil Murray, my friend and predecessor as President of the California Forestry Association (CFA), was the last murder victim of the UNABOMBER. Gil was a dedicated father, a loving husband, and a respected professional forester who was senselessly killed by a package bomb sent to our office. Attached for your information is a copy of the remarks given at the UNABOMBER sentencing by Bill Dennison on behalf of CFA staffers and himself as the retired President of CFA as well as the person to whom the bomb was addressed.
Although the UNABOMBER has since pled guilty to an eighteen year reign-of-terror, all the evidence has not yet been released as to his ties to radical environmental organizations. It is known that he corresponded with Earth First!, and that two of his murder victims (including Gil) were directly targeted from this organization’s “hit-list” of those they see as enemies of the Earth.
While the UNABOMBER will be locked up forever, America must remain ever vigilant against terrorists and extremism in all its forms. Our society must always repudiate groups and individuals who use terrorism to advance their extremist agendas.
As such, I urge you and your counterpart in the Senate, the Honorable Orrin Hatch, to push for hearings before the full committees in both houses. As the first order of business, I join Representative Frank Riggs in requesting that the Judiciary Committee consider expanding the existing organized crime statutes to include environmental terrorism.
Thank you again for the excellent job in handling this sensitive issue, and for your further efforts in this regard. If you or your staff have any questions, or if I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Sincerely,
David A. Bischel, President
cc:
Senator Orrin Hatch
California Congressional Delegation Supervisor Bill Dennison
CFA Members
-
For further information contact Fur Commission USA.
Home
© 1998-2011 Fur Commission USA