 |
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Animal activist pleads guilty in McDonald's fire
Man admits setting blaze in '03
An animal rights activist who torched a Seattle McDonald's restaurant in the name of "our furry brothers" pleaded guilty to a federal charge of arson Monday.
Christopher McIntosh, 23, of Maple Shade, N.J., admitted climbing onto the roof of the McDonald's across the street from the Space Needle on Jan. 20, 2003, and setting it ablaze. The Seattle Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire, which caused about $5,000 in damage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Friedman told the court that after setting the fire, McIntosh called the Seattle arson tip line and left a message claiming the fire bombing was committed by "ELF-ALF." The Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front are closely allied, underground groups that use violent means to protest what they see as sprawling development, environmental degradation and animal exploitation.
Friedman quoted from McIntosh's message in which he said "there was an E-L-F-A-L-F hit at McDonald's across from the Space Needle. ... There will be more. ... There will be more. As long as Mother Earth is pillaged, raped, destroyed. As long as McDonald's keeps hurting our furry brothers, there will be more."
Federal agents arrested McIntosh in Philadelphia in March. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force linked him to the arson after finding a fingerprint and DNA on a can of spray paint and sunglasses found at the fire.
Before pleading guilty, McIntosh raised his right hand to be sworn under oath and revealed the letters "H-A-T-E" tattooed onto four fingers.
In the gallery, three animal rights activists looked on, including Josh Harper, a defendant in a federal case that seeks to dismantle a group trying to stop a company that tests drugs and products on animals.
Also observing the proceedings were several members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Under terms of the plea agreement, McIntosh will be sentenced in December to eight to 10 years in a federal prison.
My web site
My Yahoo!
Google
 Day in Pictures China's Yangma Festival and more |
 David Horsey It's a wonderful life ... 2008 |
 The week's best photos Great shots from the P-I staff |
· There's no stairway to heavens? Take the elevator
· Woman gets 5 years for UW lab arson
· Arrest made in deadly Federal Way shooting
· Woman cut out of crashed car with 'jaws of life'
· Theft of old-growth cedars gets man 1 year in prison, plus fine
· Air Force sergeant dies in Iraq
· No more zigzag for pedestrians crossing Boren at Pine
· Pesticide data pulled from county Web site
· Articles of Faith: Responsibility should be tempered with mercy
more· Bedard may be out until August
· Storm wins 7th straight, 65-59 over Fever
· Sizemore comes home as HR leader
· Gates Foundation Trust doesn't support Republic purchase
· Idaho officials, wolf advocates react to ruling
more· U.S. missile defense sensor test called successful
· Judge restores protections for N. Rockies wolves
· Dead whale causes final problem: smelly street
· Alaska volcano sends out more ash
· Ore. backs restoring salmon to Upper Klamath Basin
more
The Big BlogBy Monica Guzman and other P-I editors and staff
· How the Obamas fell for Seattle's Fran's Chocolates
· How our photog got that awesome moon pic
· Seattle father ran with the bulls and lived
Strange BedfellowsP-I staff on Seattle politics
· McCain leads Obama in Alaska poll
· Gregoire, Rossi close in new poll
· Connelly: A gaseous Gary Locke
Seattle Real Estate NewsWith the P-I's Aubrey Cohen
· Seattle-area house values down
· Wood
· Inventories falling elsewhere
Seattle TrafficBy Reporter Larry Lange and other P-I staff
· No retrofit? Make the case, viaduct group says
· Sound off about a new viaduct interchange
· Council members review Metro bus hike Wednesday
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
