The Earth Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for a Christmas Day fire that destroyed the Oregon regional headquarters of paper manufacturer Boise Cascade. In a communique sent to news agencies, the group contended that Boise Cascade has ravaged the forests of the Pacific Northwest and that it is now teaming up with a Chilean company to begin chopping down virgin forests in Chile. “Let this be a lesson to all greedy multinational corporations who don’t respect ecosystems. The elves are watching,” the communique concluded. The fire, started with four buckets of diesel fuel and a kitchen timer, destroyed a 7,222-square-foot building but injured no people. The FBI is on the case. ELF has claimed responsibility for seven acts of arson in the West over the past three years, including a large fire at the Vail, Colo., ski resort in 1998, set to draw attention to the plight of the endangered lynx.
