Activist pleads guilty in Oregon to decades old federal arson charges

Activist¹ pleads guilty in Oregon to decades old federal arson² charges

Transcript³

Prosecutors⁴ say Joseph Mahmoud Dibee was a member of the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front. The attacks targeted places that were thought to be harming animals and their habitats.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

A decade ago, federal property in Oregon was set on fire in protest. Yesterday, an environmental and animal rights activist pleaded guilty to those charges after years on the run. Here's Conrad Wilson with Oregon Public Broadcasting.

CONRAD WILSON, BYLINE⁵: Federal prosecutors say Joseph Mahmoud Dibee was a member of the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front. The U.S. Department of Justice has held those groups responsible for what it describes as acts of domestic terrorism. Prosecutors say Dibee was part of a group known as The Family, which caused more than $45 million in damages in a series of arsons between 1995 and 2001.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

SCOTT ASPHAUG: No matter the agenda, using violence to advance a social or political cause is a serious crime.

WILSON: Scott Asphaug is Oregon's U.S. attorney. In a recorded statement, he said that Dibee and others damaged government properties and private businesses. Those businesses were targeted because the group thought that they harmed animals or contributed to habitat destruction. Just before he was indicted⁶ in 2006, Dibee fled the country, first to Syria, where he had family, and later to Russia. He spent more than a decade as an international fugitive⁷. He worked on large-scale environmental projects, like a biofuels facility and a desalination⁸ plant. Dibee was detained by Cuban authorities in August 2018 and arrested by the FBI. At the time, the Justice Department called Dibee, quote, "a domestic terrorism suspect." That description wasn't used yesterday when Dibee entered his guilty plea - again, Asphaug.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ASPHAUG: After many years on the run, Mr. Dibee admitted to his role in these schemes and will finally face justice.

WILSON: The government called Dibee an extremist and an arsonist⁹, but they did not use the word terrorist. Dibee pleaded guilty to several arson-related charges in California and Oregon. He admitted in California he assisted others who burned a barn at a Bureau of Land Management wild horse facility in 2001. He also admitted to starting a fire in Oregon that destroyed a slaughterhouse in 1997. It was called Cavel West and processed and sold horsemeat to Europe. Matt Schindler is Dibee's attorney.

MATT SCHINDLER: Mr. Dibee was involved with the arson at Cavel West. And so it was important that he take responsibility for that.

WILSON: A federal judge will sentence Dibee in July. The government has recommended more than seven years in prison. Dibee is expected to ask for a lighter¹⁰ sentence.

For NPR News, I'm Conrad Wilson in Portland.

(SOUNDBITE OF HAKAISU'S "CONNECTION")

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

7 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

8 desalination   

n.脱盐(作用)

参考例句：

• Crops can be grown on this land after desalination. 这片土地经过脱盐就可以种植庄稼了。
• One source is by desalination-taking the salt out of salt water to make it drinkable. 淡水的来源之一是使水淡化--把含盐的水中的盐份去掉，使之能够饮用。

9 arsonist   

n.纵火犯

参考例句：

• You're pretty sure you can identify a single arsonist?你确信你能鉴别出一个特定的纵火者？
• The arsonist confessed that he set fire to six businesses.那纵火犯承认他给6家商场纵过火。

10 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。