Bond reduced in SUV firebombing case

Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 24, 2007 at midnight

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A Denver judge halved the bond today for a suspected eco-terrorist accused of setting firebombs in large SUVs after his father, a Colorado Springs lawyer, agreed to post the bond.

Bond for Grant Barnes, 24, was reduced from $200,000 to $100,000 after defense attorney Phil Cherner told the judge that Barne’s father, Thomas Barnes, a former deputy district attorney in El Paso County, would ensure that his son appears in court.

Denver District Judge William Robbins said he reduced the bond primarily because it was excessive when no one had been injured in the fires.

Prosecutor Ryan Younggren said he and the victims objected to a bond reduction because Grant Barnes might plant more firebombs if he gets out.

Thomas Barnes and Cherner both declined comment after the brief hearing in which Barnes’ arraignment was delayed until July to give Cherner time to assess whether to file an insanity plea.

Grant Barnes, suspected of using the methods of the eco-terrorist group Earth Liberation Front, was arrested March 22 for allegedly setting off or trying to ignite firebombs under seven SUVs over four days from March 18 to March 21. All of the targeted cars were parking in the Cherry Creek and Lowry neighborhoods.

Police tracked down Barnes through a white Cavalier he was seen driving at the scene of some of the attacks.

When he was pulled over, he was "extremely nervous and sweating profusely," the search warrant affidavit said.

In the back of the car, police found a box of seven more devices which are replicas of bombs portrayed on ELF’s Web site, along with directions and needed ingredients, according to a search warrant affidavit by Denver Fire investigator Leif Skulborstad.

Directions for the homemade devices are titled "Arson-Around with Auntie ALF", a reference to ELF’s sister group, Animal Liberation Front.

Someone wrote the letters ELF on a Hummer H2 hours after one of the firebombs went off.

Investigators are searching Barnes’ computer for any information linking him to ELF or other terrorist groups, or that shows "he acted in collaboration with members of an arson/terrorist organization."

Initially police said they did not believe Barnes was linked to ELF, but this is before investigators realized that the devices found in his car are similar to ELF-designed firebombs.

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