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The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act

Update >> The AETA is now law

Update >> AETA passes Senate

The APS urges Congress to pass S. 3880 and H.R. 4239, together known as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), in order to ensure that law enforcement has the tools needed to cope with animal rights extremists. On September 8, 2006, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced S. 3880. This bill would amend existing laws to address the tactics of today's extremists. H.R. 4239, a similar bill sponsored by Rep. Thomas Petri (R-WI), is pending before the House Judiciary Committee.

In recent years, the ferocity and scope of animal rights extremism has escalated beyond the reach of laws intended to protect its potential targets. The AETA is needed to close existing loopholes so law enforcement can stop extremists from threatening and harassing those working to relieve human suffering through medical discovery. The legislation would not affect legitimate protests because its provisions would only apply when a crime has been committed.

At one time, extremist focused their attention on research facilities. Recently, however, they have also targeted individual employees and their families as well as customers and suppliers of targeted facilities. These techniques are known as secondary and tertiary targeting. At a May 23, 2006 hearing of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, GlaxoSmithKline Vice President of Corporate Security and Investigations, William Trundley, testified that animal extremists have targeted his company because of its connection to Huntingdon Life Science. Extremists have targeted GSK employees, shareholders and others only tangentially connected to the company. Trundley provided examples of harassment, vandalism, slander, theft and death threats. Although by his count, there had been 150 incidents over the preceding 21 months, none had resulted in a criminal conviction.

The problem is that there are gaps in current laws that the extremists eagerly exploit. Because their actions in any one jurisdiction may only amount to petty crimes, the extremists orchestrating these campaigns have largely evaded arrest. Although federal law enforcement authorities recognize the significance of the totality of these actions, they currently lack the tools to investigate and prosecute them. According to Trundley, "the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act will provide law enforcement with those tools."

Legislation is needed because there are gaps in current laws that the extremists have exploited. Because their actions in any one jurisdiction may only amount to petty crimes, they have largely evaded arrest. Although federal law enforcement authorities recognize the significance of the totality of these actions, they currently lack the tools to investigate and prosecute them. According to Trundley, "the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act will provide law enforcement with those tools."

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