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The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act
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side from the substantive changes discussed below between the AEPA and the AETA, the most blatant adjustment of the law was the substitution of the word terrorism for protection in the title. Whereas the prior emphasis seemed to be on the protection of animal enterprises, the new emphasis is on the terrorists who target the animal enterprises. The linguistic shift thus highlights the trend away from passively protecting animal enterprises toward aggressively prosecuting animal activists. The 2005 Senate Hearing: “Oversight on Eco-terrorism Spe cif ically E xamining the Earth Liberation Front (‘ELF’) and the Ani mal Li beration Front (‘ALF’)”
On May 18, 2005, the Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing titled, “Oversight on Eco-terrorism Specifically Examining the Earth Liberation Front (‘ELF’) and the Animal Liberation Front (‘ALF’).” Presenters included: Bradley Campbell, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; Carson Carroll, deputy assistant director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; John