| Lest we forget we have a few home-grown terrorists. |
Three other members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty are awaiting sentencing within the next two weeks.
Along with the organization itself, the six activists were convicted in March of using a Web site to incite threats, harassment and vandalism against Huntingdon Life Sciences, a company that tests drugs and household products on animals.
| The SHAC nuts have been especially active in Britain where they've worked out to put Huntingdon out of business, and have damn near succeeded. |
Many of those people saw their homes vandalized and received threatening e-mails, faxes and phone calls.
The group, based in Philadelphia, maintains its actions were protected under the First Amendment. Defense attorneys tried to portray their clients as well-meaning animal-lovers who committed a "crime of compassion."
| Creating a climiate of fear isn't protected speech and isn't compassionate. |
The defendants, all in their late 20s or early 30s, were not accused of directly making threats or carrying out vandalism. The three sentenced were the president of SHAC, Kevin Kjonaas of Minnesota; campaign coordinator Lauren Gazzola of Connecticut; and Conroy, of California. Kjonaas was sentenced to six years in prison, Gazzola to four years and four months, and Conroy to four years.
| Enjoy your stay in stir! |