The eco-terrorism scandal in the Observer

[marksimonbrown]

On Sunday 9th November, the Observer ran a story written by Mark
Townsend (assisted by Nick Denning) on a supposed terrorist threat
from a lone eco-terrorist, associated with Earth-First, entitled
"Police warn of growing threat from eco-terrorists", with the
strapline 'fear of deadly attack by lone maverick as officers alert
major firms to danger of green extremism'
Ref:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/09/eco-terrorism-earth-first-elf

The piece is a nonsensical piece smear-laden supposition and
scaremongering which treats unattributable government briefings as if
they were the truth. Based on no actual evidence apart from a series
of speculations, it makes a tenuous case of dipicting the Earth-First
network as some kind of Al-Qaeda-type network (fantastic journalistic
pedigree shown with utterly convincing turns of phrase such as 'a
senior source at the unit said..' & 'We have found statements';
Townsend has said he got all his information from NETCU -the National
Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit; read about Schnews' dialogue
with Townsend in Derek Wall's blog and in an email from Roger Cox sent
to Townsend, both pasted below). In mentioning the Climate Camp, it
seems this is designed to increase the bidding by the security
services for greater resources dedicated to disrupting the growing
climate-change movement - a classic tactic of that element within the
'intelligence services' which works in tandem with financial-business
interests.

According to Ian Bone's blog, "It says on the Guardian website you can
ask to interview Mark Townsend, or MARK THE SPOOK, by phoning Diane
Heath on 02072399936. Go for it." 


*Excellent riposte Derek Wall on his blog on the Eco-terrorism scandal
from the Observer: 
http://another-green-world.blogspot.com/2008/11/eco-terrorism-scandal-from-observer.html

*Ref: http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1227023551.html
Extract from email sent to the Observer on the climate
camps/eco-terrorism smear, posted by Roger Cox, on November 18th 2008:

Dear Mark Townsend,
You wrote: "Police have warned of the growing threat of eco-terrorism
after revealing they are investigating a group which has supporters
who believe that reducing the Earth's population by four-fifths will
help to protect the planet".
Schnews quote that you explained reporting that the group "connected
to a network of UK climate camps" intend to exterminate most of the
human race by saying; “I don’t know - they [NETCU] said they had seen
them in blogs”
http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news655.htm


See also:
** NETCU Watch: www.netcu.wordpress.com