Briana Waters guilty of two counts in UW ecoterror case

By VANESSA HO
P-I REPORTER

TACOMA -- A federal jury has found accused Earth Liberation Front arsonist Briana Waters guilty of two charges stemming from the firebombing of a University of Washington research center.

Both charges carry a minimum of five years in prison.

Waters

The jury deadlocked on more serious charges, including arson conspiracy and possession and use of a destructive device.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 30.

Waters, a 32-year-old violin teacher from Oakland, Calif., had flatly denied any involvement in the May 2001 arson that destroyed the Center for Urban Horticulture. The ELF claimed responsibility for the blaze.

During the 3 1/2 -week trial, Waters was accused of acting as the lookout while other radical environmentalists broke into the center located near the University Village mall and planted an incendiary device.

The blaze destroyed the building, irreplaceable botanical and ecological research materials, and killed specimens of rare and endangered plants. The UW spent $7 million to replace the building. No injuries were reported.

Waters testified during the trial that she had nothing to do with the arson, but two admitted ELF firebombers -- Lacey Phillabaum and Jennifer Kolar -- implicated her in their testimony.

Waters maintained that the government's star witnesses harbored biases against her and couldn't be believed. Bloom said they have a motive to lie -- sharply reduced prison time.

Prosecutors say phone records, rental car records and testimony indicate Waters was in contact with at least some of the other alleged conspirators around the time of the fire.

P-I reporter Vanessa Ho can be reached at 206-448-8003 or vanessaho@seattlepi.com.