ANTIFA-Linked Washington Women, Former Democrat Organizer Charged With Terrorist Attack in Train Derailment Plot
Richard Moorhead
|
Two ANTIFA-linked Bellingham, Washington women were federally charged on counts of terrorist attack and violence against a railroad carrier on Monday, with the Department of Justice alleging Ellen Reiche and Samantha Brooks placed a “shunt” on railroad tracks in Whatcom County.
The shunt device in question disrupts the low level electrical current on the tracks and can disable various safety features. Charging documents indicate that previous shunting incidents had caused dangerous situations for traveling trains and almost resulted in a spill of hazardous materials at least once.
Reiche(pictured), 23, and Brooks, 27, were arrested on Saturday night. In a charging press release, US Attorney Brian Moran reveals that authorities have discovered 41 incidences in which dangerous shunts were placed on railroad tracks belonging to BNSF Railroads since January.
According to reports on her now-deleted Linkedin page, Reiche was previously employed as a Deputy Field Organizer for Washington State Democrats. She appears to be something of an environmentalist type, working as a park aide for the state, a naturalist for Outer Island Excursions, and a mentor for Wild Whatcom. Reiche also has a bachelor’s degree in German from the University of Western Washington.
Photography of Reiche’s vehicle released in the Department of Justice charging document reveals an “Indigenous Land” bumper sticker, suggesting the territorial United States was stolen from Native Americans.
Charging documents reveal that claims of responsibility for the shunt placements were posted onto anarchist website itsgoingdown.org, a platform used by ANTIFA militants to plan property destruction, violent crimes, and attacks on traditional American statues. The post regarding the placement of the shunt invoked supposed solidarity with Native American groups who oppose the construction of a Canadian oil pipeline.
“This claim of responsibility stated that the shunting activity was carried out in solidarity with Native American tribes in Canada seeking to prevent the construction of an oil pipeline across British Columbia, and with the express goal of disrupting BNSF operations and supplies for the pipeline,” cites the charging documents.
A railroad safety deputy chief describes witnessing the two women placing the shunt device on railroad tracks by use of a game camera on November 28th. Whatcom County Sheriff’s Deputies were alerted, and when the two women were found at the scene, they claimed they were merely looking for lost keys. However, authorities determined Reiche was in “possession of a brown paper bag that contained rubber gloves, a piece of black insulated copper wire, and a Makita Drill with a wheel-shaped wire brush attachment in the chuck.” The same wire had been used in previous shunting devices. A shunt was ultimately discovered near where the two women were confronted by sheriff’s deputies.
The terrorist suspects were released from jail in advance of a scheduled December 14th court appearance. The criminal charges are punishable by sentences of up to 20 years in prison. Their booking information at the Whatcom County Jail specifies state charges filed against the leftist militants.
Both of them are identified as Bellingham, Washington residents in the DOJ press release.
Share: