Security guard gets $25,000 reward for capture of U.S. fugitive
Tuesday August 24, 2004
VICTORIA, British Columbia (AP) A security guard who captured one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives, environmental activist Tre Arrow, has been given a $25,000 reward.
Tony Bunting, employed at a Canadian Tire store in the British Columbia capital, was presented the check Monday.
Bunting stopped a man who reportedly was trying to hide a pair of bolt cutters under his clothes and held the apparent shoplifter until police arrived May 13.
The man turned out to be Arrow, 30, born as Michael Scarpitti, who had been sought by the FBI for about two years for investigation of domestic terrorism.
``We consider him a dangerous man,'' said Scott Jensen, an FBI agent in Portland, Ore. ``Any time you commit an act of arson and set a fire, there is always good potential where people can get hurt.''
Bunting said Arrow tried to escape and wound up being placed in a hold that left him bleeding from the ears.
``He fought pretty hard,'' the guard said. ``He did not want to be there.''
Arrow has a long history of logging protests and other environmental activism and ran for Congress in 2000 as a Green Party candidate.
He is charged with felonious use of fire, destruction of vehicles used in interstate commerce and use of incendiary devices to firebomb logging trucks in a protest against logging near Mount Hood in Oregon in 2001. The offenses carry combined penalties of up to 80 years in prison.
FBI agents say he is involved with the Earth Liberation Front, which investigators consider a terrorist group responsible for scores of attacks on property over the past dozen years.
Hearings began more than two months ago on Arrow's request for refugee status to remain in Canada. To grant the request, the Immigration and Refugee Board must find that ELF is not a terrorist organization or that Arrow has no links to the group.
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press.