Environmental Defense Condemns Arson In The Northwest

Environmental Defense today strongly condemned the arson incidents in Oregon and Washington State. News reports state that opponents of genetic engineering are suspects in the fires, which destroyed a research laboratory at the University of Washington as well as a tree nursery in Oregon. Both locations are reportedly involved in genetic engineering research and experiments.

"Violence and arson are utterly reprehensible," said Rebecca Goldburg, an Environmental Defense senior scientist and long-standing critic of genetic engineering in agriculture. "Whatever one's view of genetic engineering, participation in such actions is terrorism, not environmentalism. If arson is the cause of these fires, those responsible should be prosecuted by law enforcement officials."