Two anarchist women were arrested and charged with committing terrorist attacks against a railway carrier on the BNSF Railway tracks in Washington, according to a press release from the Department of Justice in the Western District of Washington.
OCTOBER 13, 2019 – Shunting of PKP Intercity carriages at Katowice railway station. Station and train featured in image not related to this story. By Martyn Jandula. Shutterstock.
The BNSF police observed video surveillance of two people kneeling on the tracks on Saturday, according to the press release. The police arrested Samantha Frances Brooks, 27, and Ellen Brennan Reiche, 23, for trespassing and placing a shunt on the tracks, the press release states. (RELATED: ‘The Terrorist Risk Is Everywhere’ — Macron Calls For Stricter European Borders After Recent Attacks)
A shunt disrupts safety features, according to the press release. It has wire and magnets that are stretched between the tracks and disrupts the systems that indicates a trainis on the tracks, according to the press release.
“Since January there have been 41 incidents of shunts placed on the BNSF tracks in Whatcom and Skagit counties—causing crossing guards to malfunction, interfering with automatic breaking systems, and, in one case, causing the near-derailment of tanks of hazardous chemicals,” U.S. Attorney Moran said, according to the press release. “These crimes endanger our community. I commend the agents from Customs and Border Protection, FBI, BNSF Police, and state and local partners who prioritized stopping this criminal conduct.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, including Customs and Border Protection agents, and the NBSF Railway Police are investigating with the police, the press release states.