| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: WoT |
| Cal Grad Student Busted For Eco Arson |
| 2004-03-10 |
| A California Institute of Technology graduate student has been arrested in connection with an August arson and vandalism spree targeting 125 sports utility vehicles at four car dealerships, the FBI said. William Cottrell, 23, used an alias when he e-mailed The Los Angeles Times, claiming to be a member of the eco-terrorist group Earth Liberation Front and offering specific details to prove his involvement in the firebombings, the FBI said. âThe FBI hasnât seemed to pick up on any of them (clues), which makes this whole ordeal rather boring for us, the true culprits,â one e-mail boasted, the FBI said in an affidavit. Is it still boring, Will? Authorities searched Caltech classrooms and tracked the e-mails to Cottrell, a grad student in the physics department, according to the affidavit. They also seized six computers from the campus. Guess he must have missed the computer science class where they discussed IP addresses, huh? Cottrell was arrested for investigation of arson and vandalism. He was ordered held without bail at a court hearing. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 40 years in prison, the U.S. attorneyâs office said. Look at the bright side, Will. In 40 years weâll have that whole global warming thing worked out. âThe charges are unfounded,â defense attorney Stephen Alexander said outside court. "Lies, all lies!" Cottrellâs father described his son as bright, hardworking and somewhat eccentric but incapable of the acts alleged by the government. âWe were hopeful he wouldnât be charged,â Dr. William Milnes Cottrell said from his Concord, N.C., home. âWe are very unhappy about it. We are still reasonably sure he wasnât a primary agent in this deed.â So you arenât denying he had at least some role. The Los Angeles Times reported that the e-mails the newspaper received began several weeks after the attacks, when the FBI arrested an environmental activist named Josh Connole in connection with the fires. "Hello, the police have the wrong man here â I was amongst those responsible for the SUV attacks," read the first e-mail sent to the Times. Sounds like he was trying to shift blame off Josh. Connole was released without charges four days after his arrest. Connole told the Times that he hoped Cottrellâs arrest would end any doubts about his innocence. Depends on what kind of deal Will is ready to make to avoid 40 years. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #19 Duh, I meant to say, if he serves time in Northern California. |
| Posted by: ruprecht 2004-3-10 10:18:30 PM |
| #18 On the bright side he might find his future husband if he serves time in the US. |
| Posted by: ruprecht 2004-3-10 10:17:46 PM |
| #17 Of course, there is the possibilty that he really didn't do it. It's possible that he is "admitting" to the crime to halt the police investigation, but when the trial comes up, he'll have proof he wasn't there. I'm not saying it's likely, but it's happened before. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2004-3-10 8:10:52 PM |
| #16 I guess Bill can determine the physics of getting buggered 5 or 6 times a day and figure out if it was worth it. I say throw him in Folsom or Quinten and let them have a new play toy. In about ten years he will become an eco-gay terrorists! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-3-10 7:38:44 PM |
| #15 Cottrellâs father described his son as bright, hardworking and somewhat eccentric but incapable of the acts alleged by the government. (emphasis mine) I'll bet Dylan Klebold's parents had similar thoughts regarding their own son. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-3-10 6:02:16 PM |
| #14 a grad of caltech caught by tracking a digi trail!? caltech is supposed to be one of the best schools in the country for computer science... disappointingly stupid grad student.. I was thinking of trying to do my grad studies there, not so sure now :-b |
| Posted by: Dcreeper 2004-3-10 2:55:44 PM |
| #13 Ya see Muckster, the problem there (as you demonstrate so well) is the inevitable inhalation of large quanitities of gasoline fumes = not good for brain. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2004-3-10 1:42:52 PM |
| #12 making big fire is not help the envirement. they should have use shugar in the gas tank instead. |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2004-3-10 1:31:13 PM |
| #11 He's gonna just LOVE the exercise yard as San Quentin! |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2004-3-10 1:26:19 PM |
| #10 Angie - I was insinuating (too obtusely, obviously ;-)) that the indulgent parents will clean up this mess for jr., probably like they did all others he's caused |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-3-10 1:21:33 PM |
| #9 Angie - I was insuating (too obtusely, obviously ;-)) that the indulgent parents will clean up this mess for jr., probably like they did all others he's caused |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-3-10 1:21:23 PM |
| #8 The idiot's a terrorist. Execute him. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-3-10 12:14:33 PM |
| #7 well - the bright side is he can share a cell with Jihad Johnny - and their parents can form a group called - Financial Planning for Parents Who Really Messed Up Their Kids. |
| Posted by: B 2004-3-10 11:43:55 AM |
| #6 Cottrellâs father described his son as bright, hardworking and somewhat eccentric but incapable of the acts alleged by the government. Every time I hear a parent spouting this crap, it answers the follow-up question. "How could a kid do this?" 'Cause Dad passed on the idiot genes - that's how. What normal Dad would say "he wasn't a primary agent in this deed." Wadda marroon. News flash Dad - if you would have kicked his ass a few more times this wouldn't have happened. Sentence this jamoke to a few years in a paper mill. He'd love that. /rant |
| Posted by: Doc8404 2004-3-10 11:41:53 AM |
| #5 Dad's gonna have to pony up restitution $ too Why? The kid's 23. His father's no longer responsible for him. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2004-3-10 11:36:04 AM |
| #4 Dad's gonna have to pony up restitution $ too....nice |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-3-10 11:11:53 AM |
| #3 Ah crap. This guys did have to be from NC didn't he! I just can't imagine a fellow Carolinian being such an asshat. He has obviously been brainwashed by those crazy californians. Remember kids, when in California, DON'T DRINK THE KOOLAID!!! |
| Posted by: AllahHateMe 2004-3-10 11:10:03 AM |
| #2 "I AM THE CAT! YOU ARE THE MOUSE! GET YOUR PAW OFF ME NOW! |
| Posted by: B 2004-3-10 10:59:20 AM |
| #1 Just tie him to a post and make him watch loggers cut down a forest if he doesn't talk. That will get Cottrell talking. |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-3-10 10:58:09 AM |