Animal activists top FBI terrorist list - Breaking News - World - Breaking News

The FBI says the United States' top domestic terrorism threat is environmental and animal rights activists who have turned to arson and explosives.

Some of the activists also target companies abroad who have policies they disagree with.

Groups such as the Animal Liberation Front, the Earth Liberation Front and the Britain-based SHAC, or Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, are 'way out in front' in terms of damage and number of crimes, said John Lewis, the FBI's deputy assistant director for counterterrorism.

'There is nothing else going on in this country over the last several years that is racking up the high number of violent crimes and terrorist actions,' Lewis said.

Animal Liberation Front says on its web site that its small, autonomous groups of people take 'direct action' against animal abuse by rescuing animals and causing financial loss to animal exploiters, usually through damage and destruction of property. Earth Liberation Front is an underground movement with no public leadership, membership or spokesperson.