bc2009: Pipeline bombers probably local: expert

Pipeline bombers probably local: expert

By Jamie Hall
The Edmonton Journal
January 6, 2009

Attacks audacious, U of A researcher says

Site of another explosion at an Encana pipeline is shown near Tomslake, BC in this January 5, 2009 photo. It's the fourth such explosion in three months. The incident was discovered January 4, 2009 after gas line workers found a partially destroyed metering shed at a wellhead site. (Photograph by: Global TV, Canwest News Service)

Whatever the bombers lack in technical ability, they make up for in will and audacity, a University of Alberta researcher said after the latest pipeline bombings at EnCana natural gas facilities in northern B.C.

"We're clearly dealing with someone who's an amateur, but it does show that although they lack technical ability, their will is certainly not lacking," said eco-terrorism expert Paul Joosse.

"They're continuing to carry out these attacks, even though we're throwing everything we have at them from a law enforcement perspective."

Evidence of the fourth explosion in three months was discovered Sunday by EnCana workers near the community of Tomslake, about 20 kilometres southeast of Dawson Creek.

The crew noticed damage to a small building housing a natural gas meter at a well site, which was promptly shut down as a precaution. A company spokesman said there was no damage to the wellhead or the pipeline, nor was there a gas leak at the facility.

The RCMP in Dawson Creek are investigating the bombings, with help from the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, the explosives disposal unit and the forensic identification unit.

Joosse is convinced the attacks are being carried out by someone who lives in the area, but said it's difficult to say whether it's a single individual or a "small tightly knit group."

"Even if it is an individual," said Joosse, "there are other people who know about this person and are complicit in helping, if only through their silence."

Residents blocked oil and gas vehicles on a road running through the community of Kelly Lake last summer, an event Joosse said was a precursor to the explosions.

Joosse said the blockade was an illustration of "widespread community support for civil disobedience, and a widespread sentiment of frustration" by locals angry over what they see as the destruction of their land.

He said police strategy to elicit tips from the public in hopes that family members or close friends would come forward doesn't appear to be working.

"I think there are some locals who live vicariously through this person, and take a certain amount of pride that someone's sticking their neck out to do something about it," said Joosse.

jhall@thejournal.canwest.com

Pipeline bombings 'increasingly violent': RCMP

The Canadian Press
Globe and Mail
January 6, 2009

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The attacks against EnCana's natural gas operations in northeastern British Columbia are becoming “increasingly violent,” says the RCMP, after a fourth attack that was dangerously close to a nearby home.

Workers discovered a damaged steel metering shed on Sunday near Tomslake, southeast of Dawson Creek.

The explosion follows three others in the area last October, targeting two pipelines and a wellhead.

There was no damage to an adjacent wellhead in Sunday's attack and there weren't any leaks.

Sgt. Tim Shields said while the third explosion in October occurred 800 metres from the closest house, the latest was just 250 metres away from the nearest home.

“The explosive sites have been successively getting closer to nearby residents,” Sgt. Shields said in a statement posted to the RCMP's website Tuesday.

“For this reason, we are considering these explosions are becoming increasingly violent. This poses a real risk to the public.”

Sgt. Shields said the latest explosion involved “high explosives” and left a very large debris field.

He didn't elaborate on what type of explosives were used or whether they were different than in previous attacks, but he did say the devices were likely not homemade.

Investigators believe whoever is responsible for the bombings is from the Tomslake area and has a grudge against EnCana, but police appear to have little else to go on and no suspects.

The only leads made public in the case so far are a threatening letter sent to EnCana shortly before the first blast, and the release last month of eight video surveillance images of customers at a store where the letter was mailed.

Police have said the black-and-white images haven't produced a suspect.

Sgt. Shields said police have identified several “people of interest,” but they haven't been co-operative.

Instead, investigators have been left pleading for the public's help.

“We're asking those people [of interest] and associated friends and family to come forward with what they know,” said Sgt. Shields.

“We are making the assumption that it is likely this won't stop until the suspect or suspects have been arrested.”

Last month, EnCana set up a dedicated telephone line and asked the bomber to call them, but the company isn't saying whether anyone made that phone call.

The first three explosions involved pipelines or wellheads carrying sour gas, a type of natural gas that contains highly toxic hydrogen sulphide, which can be fatal even in small amounts.

EnCana hasn't said whether the latest wellhead targeted also contains sour gas, but has said pipelines and wells in the area typically contain trace amounts of hydrogen sulphide.

RCMP investigate fourth pipeline bombing in B.C.

Canwest News Service
Vancouver Sun
January 5, 2009

Damage caused to a natural gas pipeline is seen east of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, in this October 12, 2008 photo.(Photograph by: File photo/Canwest News Service)

There has been another pipeline explosion in northeast British Columbia, the RCMP said Monday.

The site of what appears to be a deliberate explosion was discovered on Sunday after EnCana gas line workers located the partial destruction of a metering shed at a wellhead site near the community of Tomslake, B.C.

RCMP officers immediately secured the scene after the discovery, according to a police news release.

Investigators from the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, the Explosives Disposal Unit and Forensic Identification are now investigating.

There were no injuries or gas leakage as a result of the blast.

This event is likely the fourth deliberate explosion in three months directed at EnCana natural gas facilities in the Tomslake area, east of Dawson Creek, B.C.

In October, there was a late-night explosion at a natural gas wellhead south of Dawson Creek, B.C., on the Alberta border, about 600 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

That blast was the third of its kind in less than a month targeting natural gas facilities operated by EnCana Corp.

The first two bomb sites were also discovered in October along a natural gas pipeline running through the same area. The blasts occurred on Oct. 12, 16 and 31.

Prior to the first bombing, an individual or a group of people sent an unsigned, handwritten letter to a Dawson Creek newspaper warning EnCana to close its operations and leave the local area immediately.

The letter stated: “We will not negotiate with terrorists, which you are as you keep on endangering our families with crazy expansion of deadly gas wells in our homelands.’”

No one has been injured in any of the blasts.