Eco-terrorists threaten major escalation in Great Britain

Published January 1, 2002

Radical environmentalists in Great Britain have threatened a major escalation of their eco-terror attacks, including assassinations, after one of their leaders committed suicide via hunger strike.

Barry Horne, who was serving an 18-year prison sentence for an arson campaign that included blowing up a drug store, died November 5 of kidney failure after he refused to eat for 16 days. Since his 1997 conviction, Horne had engaged in many huger strikes in an attempt to force the British government to change its animal research laws.

Robin Webb, a spokesperson for the Animal Liberation Front, warned that radical environmentalists have vowed to seek vengeance for Horne’s death.

“When Barry was on his third hunger strike in December 1998, a group called the Animal Rights Militia drew up a ‘short list’ of scientists who practice vivisection, and said they would start killing them if Barry died,” warned Webb.

British law forbids prison officials to force-feed a prisoner who is not mentally ill if the prisoner chooses to go on a hunger strike. Horne was regularly examined by mental health experts and determined to be of sound mind up until his death.

“Horne had signed an advance directive refusing medical intervention for his food refusal,” a prison spokesperson reported. “He was seen by psychiatrists, and as he was declared to be of sound mind, there was no option but to abide by the instruction of the directive.”

Webb predicted Horne’s death “will be a source of determination and will spur activists on to greater effort.”