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Sabotage On The Grid
Missing bolts from a high-voltage electricity tower in Sacramento had been removed, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday. The incident comes after a handful of similar events in Northern California and Oregon since Oct. 20, when witnesses chased a man from the base of a tower in Redding. The prior incidents have caught the attention of the Department of Homeland Security, which last week issued a bulletin to power industry and government officials warning of the bolt removals. FBI spokeswoman Karen Ernst said the FBI received a call Monday and after investigating, discovered that bolts had been removed from a transmission tower in Sacramento. Ernst wouldnât say if the Sacramento incident or any of the others were related, but said the FBI was aware of the incident and was investigating it. "Weâre not releasing anything saying theyâre all connected," said Ernst. "Our main concern is locating the individual we have the arrest warrant for." A federal arrest warrant was issued last Thursday for Michael Devlyn Poulin, 62. It charges him with destroying an energy facility, which carries up to a 20-year prison sentence. Poulin has only been charged with the Redding incident, but he is also "wanted for questioning" in connection with the Oregon cases, Portland FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele said last week. JunkYardBlog reported on Poulin: [A]ccording to California officials, Poulin was convicted in San Mateo in 1971-- during the height of the anti-war protests -- for "explosion of a destructive device which causes death, mayhem or great bodily injury." He served eight years in the California prison system before being released on parole in 1979. Locally, Poulin was an active and outspoken member of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane. PJALS leader Rusty Nelson said Thursday that Poulin wanted to take more direct action in promoting his causes. Poulin was outspoken on a variety of issues relating particularly to the recent war in Iraq as well as US relations to Israel and the formation of a Palestinian state. He wrote numerous articles along with his ex-wife for the "Palestine Papers", an online collection of articles hosted on the Sonoma County Free Press Web site.As we say, one of the usual suspects. Bolts were loosened or removed last week from the legs of transmission towers in at least four locations: Madras, McNary, and Klamath Falls in Oregon and Anderson in northern California. The Department of Homeland Security bulletin reported that the federal agency that manages a section of the westâs power grid has increased security. It also suggested power companies take protective measures by assigning more ground patrols and welding bolts to the legs of transmission towers. The bulletin says currently there is no indication the incidents are linked to terrorism. It sure sounds like it to me. Iâd also say Mr. Poulin most likely has help. Posted by: Steve 2003-10-31 |
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