The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force charged and arrested two women for a terrorist attack on a railroad in Bellingham, Washington.
Ellen Brennan Reiche, 27, and Samantha Frances Brooks, 23, were arrested on Saturday night after they were caught allegedly as they were placing a “shunt” on the railroad tracks. Reiche previously worked as a deputy field organizer for Washington State Democrats.
Additionally, Reiche is a radical queer and environmental activist who co-founded the Bellingham Lesbian Collective. They are a co-host on “The L World” lesbian-themed podcast.
The anarchist group that took credit said the goal is to prevent an oil pipeline.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER
A shunt can disrupt the train’s electrical signal and cause it to brake precipitously or disable its safety signals, the U.S. Attorney’s announcement explained.
“Since January there have been 41 incidents of shunts placed on the BNSF tracks in Whatcom and Skagit counties—causing crossing guards to malfunction, interfering with automatic braking systems, and, in one case, causing the near-derailment of tanks of hazardous chemicals,” said U.S. Attorney Moran. “These crimes endanger our community. I commend the agents from Customs and Border Protection, FBI, BNSF Police, and state and local partners who prioritized stopping this criminal conduct.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating shunts placed on tracks since January. The wire and magnet contraptions disrupt the systems that notify of trains on the tracks. They have disrupted the crossing guards. The night the women placed a shunt on the tracks, three others were placed as well.
The shunts caused decoupling, which is a very dangerous situation.
They could have caused a derailment with tragic consequences if a tanker was involved. People could have died if the crossing guards were incapacitated by the shunts.
The women falsely claimed they were looking for keys.
The US Attorney’s announcement notes that an anarchist website has taken responsibility for prior shunts on the track. The complaint identifies the site as ‘It’s Going Down.’
What awful, awful people.
Reiche had a sticker on her car with the map of the United States with the words over it, “Indigenous Land.”
The charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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