http://www.elfpressoffice.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 24, 2009

EARTH LIBERATION FRONT PRESS OFFICE CONDEMNS F.B.I. HUNT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS; CALLS THE U.S. GOVERNMENT “OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY”

Washington, D.C. – In response to the F.B.I.’s announcement on Friday strengthening the search for fugitive environmental defenders in Canada, the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office (NAELFPO) called the hunt “inexcusable and out of touch with reality.”

“ The U.S. government is out of step with the world leaders of today in failing to recognize and identify the real eco-terrorists,” stated NAELFPO spokeswoman Lisa Nesbitt. “The real criminals are corporate polluters and the governments that enable them, not environmental defenders who take action to stop them.”

The NAELFPO lists the top 20 Ecoterrorists in the United States on its website at http://www.elfpressoffice.org/ecoterrorists.html.

Nesbitt points to the recent statements of both the U.N. Secretary–General Ban Ki-Moon and U.S. President Barack Obama pertaining to the urgency of the environmental crisis.

Bob Fitrakis speaks about the Columbus Dispatch and how it's in bed with the sleaziest of Ohio politicians, this time it's the former governor and now senator, George Voinovich.

The Free Press National Affairs Editor, David S. Lewis, interviews field correspondent, Kendra R. Chamberlain, on assignment in Washington D.C. She covered the events and atmosphere surrounding the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

From Avtonom

Anastasia "Skat" Baburova, 30.11.1983-19.01.2009

Our friend and comrade Skat was murdered today in Moscow, shot to head by an assassin.

Assassin was not after her - he was after advocate Stanislav Markelov, another good friend and comrade. We do not know who was there to kill Stas - it could be associates of some war criminals he put to prison, it could be connected to some corporate crimes, it could be Nazis, many of whom Stas put to prison as well. List of achievements of Stas is so long, that it will take a couple of days to gather all of them to a necrology - and list of his enemies is even longer. But we know for sure, that Nastya had a bad luck of being in a wrong place in wrong time. Assassin shot her to head as well, either to eliminate a witness, or in order to escape - some witnesses have stated that Nastya attempted to arrest assassin. Stas died in place, Nastya died in hospital few hours afterwards.

Nastya was a graduate of journalist faculty of Moscow State University. She worked a while in "Izvestiya", but left and worked as a freelancer.