Wiebo Ludwig
Encyclopedia
Wiebo Ludwig is the leader of a compound in Trickle Creek, just outside Hythe
,
Alberta
, Canada
, who is best known for his legal problems arising from his conflict with the oil and gas industry. Ludwig has been accused of being an eco-terrorist
for sabotaging oil and gas
wells. Ludwig accuses the industry of poisoning his family and farm, and being responsible for his daughter's miscarriage
s, through its attempts to extract toxic sour gas
from the Peace River region
of Alberta.
In April 2001, Ludwig was convicted on five charges related to bombings and other forms of vandalism against oil and gas installations causing millions of dollars of damage. He was sentenced to 28 months in prison, and was paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence. The 2003 film Burn: The Robert Wraight Story is based on these events.
Ludwig was also investigated, but not charged, in relation to the June 20, 1999 shooting death of a female teenager, Karman Willis who had been joyriding
on his property in the middle of the night.
In October 2000, Ludwig ran for the leadership of the Social Credit Party of Alberta
, but was forced to withdraw from the contest when a judge refused to waive his bail
conditions to allow him to travel to the leadership convention
. He had been restricted to his farm in northern Alberta prior to his trial.
On January 8, 2010, Ludwig was arrested as a suspect in connection to numerous bombings of sour-gas installations In the Dawson Creek area of British Columbia, beginning in October 2008. After an extensive search of his farm by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
, he was released without charge. In September 2009 Ludwig wrote an open letter to the bomber supporting the cause but encouraging them to abandon the bombings.
Ludwig is a drywaller by trade.
He is the subject of a 2011 documentary Wiebo's War
, directed by David York.
Ludwig has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer
but has rejected the conventional treatments advised by doctors. He is using an alternative medicine
regimen that "involves injections of vitamin C and hydrogen peroxide."
Hythe, Alberta
Hythe is a village in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately 54 km west of Grande Prairie, the nearest major urban centre, on Highway 43. It is located in the centre of the Peace River Country, and supports a rural agricultural economy. It has an elementary school and a junior high...
,
Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, who is best known for his legal problems arising from his conflict with the oil and gas industry. Ludwig has been accused of being an eco-terrorist
Eco-terrorism
Eco-terrorism usually refers to acts of violence or sabotage committed in support of ecological, environmental, or animal rights causes against persons or their property....
for sabotaging oil and gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
wells. Ludwig accuses the industry of poisoning his family and farm, and being responsible for his daughter's miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
s, through its attempts to extract toxic sour gas
Sour gas
Sour gas is natural gas or any other gas containing significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide . Natural gas is usually considered sour if there are more than 5.7 milligrams of H2S per cubic meter of natural gas, which is equivalent to approximately 4 ppm by volume...
from the Peace River region
Peace River Country
The Peace River Country is an aspen parkland region around the Peace River in Canada. It spans from northwestern Alberta to the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia, where the region is also referred to as the Peace River Block.- Geography :The Peace River Country includes the...
of Alberta.
In April 2001, Ludwig was convicted on five charges related to bombings and other forms of vandalism against oil and gas installations causing millions of dollars of damage. He was sentenced to 28 months in prison, and was paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence. The 2003 film Burn: The Robert Wraight Story is based on these events.
Ludwig was also investigated, but not charged, in relation to the June 20, 1999 shooting death of a female teenager, Karman Willis who had been joyriding
Joyride (crime)
To joyride is to drive around in a stolen car, boat, or other vehicle with no particular goal, a ride taken solely for pleasure.In English law, joyriding is not considered to be theft, because the intention to "permanently deprive" the owner of the vehicle cannot be proven...
on his property in the middle of the night.
In October 2000, Ludwig ran for the leadership of the Social Credit Party of Alberta
Social Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
, but was forced to withdraw from the contest when a judge refused to waive his bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
conditions to allow him to travel to the leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
. He had been restricted to his farm in northern Alberta prior to his trial.
On January 8, 2010, Ludwig was arrested as a suspect in connection to numerous bombings of sour-gas installations In the Dawson Creek area of British Columbia, beginning in October 2008. After an extensive search of his farm by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
, he was released without charge. In September 2009 Ludwig wrote an open letter to the bomber supporting the cause but encouraging them to abandon the bombings.
Ludwig is a drywaller by trade.
He is the subject of a 2011 documentary Wiebo's War
Wiebo's War
Wiebo's War is a 2011 Canadian documentary about accused eco-terrorist Wiebo Ludwig, directed by David York.Ludwig was first approached by York in 2008. Filming began in late 2008 and continued into 2010, with York living as a guest in the isolated Ludwig family compound in the community of Trickle...
, directed by David York.
Ludwig has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
but has rejected the conventional treatments advised by doctors. He is using an alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
regimen that "involves injections of vitamin C and hydrogen peroxide."
External links
- Saboteurs: Wiebo Ludwig's War Against Big Oil excerpt from Andrew Nikiforuk's book.
- Wiebo's War Transcript of CBC NewsCBC NewsCBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...
The Nationals feature on Ludwig. - The Case Against Wiebo Ludwig: Reflections on a trial within a trial article by Ian Urquhart.
- RCMP bombed oil site in 'dirty tricks' campaign.
- National Film Board of Canada webpage for Wiebo's War