By Sen. Malcolm Wallop & Christa L. Floresca

Arson, Vandalism, Burglary, Grand Larceny, Firebombing, Kidnapping, Slander, Conspiracy, Computer Crimes, and Theft. If you think this sounds like a rap sheet for a hardened, malicious criminal, you would be close. It's your local neighborhood animal lover and tree hugger gone bezerk.

The once idealistic environmental movement has been blistered by the actions of extremists. In a country that respects the marketplace of ideas, these criminals apparently have only one idea in mind, the destruction of anything they disagree with. Free speech and free press were meant to allow for the exchange of opposing viewpoints. It is a principle upon which our nation was founded. The Bill of Rights was never intended to protect people who engage in acts of terrorism and violent behavior as a means of communicating their ideas.

Extreme environmental groups such as the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) are laying siege to legitimate business and medical research. Their illegal actions have cost citizens millions of dollars. Are you outraged? Wake up America ... your neighborhoods are riddled with home-grown terrorists. These extreme environmentalists have even gone so far as to create websites with the names, addresses and pictures of their next human targets ... encouraging other lunatics to help them in their siege. While they openly brag about their 130+ illegal activities in 2001 alone, these criminals are getting away with everything but murder.

Our research has uncovered hundreds of violent, illegal and malicious acts by these "animal rights activists" and "earth defenders". Something must be done! The world watched in shock and horror at the events of September 11th. Our freedom was violated. Our citizens demanded action, and our government responded. Long before September 11 however, terrorism was an everyday fact of life in this country, yet America has done nothing to stop it. Citizens, third generation entrepreneurs, have lost everything at the hands of extremists. Many an American dream has been left shattered because an organization of zealots disagreed with the way they made their livelihood.

Let's further examine the industries and research that they have targeted in recent years: the University of Minnesota, working on cures for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Cancer was vandalized; a Wisconsin vaccine research facility was raided (dozens of released animals were killed by traffic on a nearby road); numerous McDonalds restaurants (all small businesses) have been firebombed, and fire was set to the Michigan State University genetic engineering crop research facility, to name only a few. All in all the result has been millions of dollars in damage, hundreds of jobs lost, employees and citizens injured, maimed or killed, private property demolished, and decades of research destroyed. And yes animals destroyed, starved, or lost.

These groups are brazen. They believe that they are untouchable. They believe their warped sense of a "higher purpose" makes them above the law. In recent statements, they claimed that "activists involved with underground groups like the ALF and ELF will not be affected by these laws, or any attempts by law enforcement to shut them down." They have issued a challenge to law makers. Is Congress prepared to answer the call of terrorists again?

Legislation dealing with eco-terrorism and environmental extremism has been attempted in both sides of Congress. For purely partisan reasons, each piece of legislation was never given its due, and ultimately did not get passed. Most recently, a law was introduced by Congressman George Nethercutt (R-WA). According to Nethercutt's Agroterrorism Prevention Act of 2001, "whoever in the course of a violation of the law, maliciously damages or destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, by means of fire or an explosive, any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property used by an animal or plant enterprise shall be imprisoned for not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years."

It's about time that our nation's leaders choose to protect its citizens from the wrath of the few extremists. I applaud the efforts to make laws that make sense. Now let's get them passed. Private property owners and legitimate businesses should not have to operate in fear, have their livelihoods destroyed, and risk injury, just to earn a living. Congress should be united in its efforts to weed out domestic terrorists as well as foreign ones. Until then, we'll watch in horror as the "rap sheet" of the extreme environmental movement grows longer.

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Malcolm Wallop is a former Republican U.S. Senator from Wyoming who served 16 years on the Finance Committee. He is currently chairman of Frontiers of Freedom, a private property rights organization In Arlington, Virginia.