A Greenpeace member razes the CSIRO wheat crop.

Credit: AFP

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SYDNEY: Authorities investigating the destruction of a genetically modified (GM) wheat trial in Canberra raided and seized property from Greenpeace's head offices in Sydney yesterday morning.

The activist group claimed responsibility for last week's action, which saw three protestors in Hazmat suits scale the fences of a CSIRO farm to destroy $300,000 worth GM wheat that had been altered for improved nutritional value.

According to ACT Policing, the Canberra branch of the Australian Federal Police that executed the warrant, part of the seized evidence will now undergo forensic analysis. They also said the raid took place after interviews with two of people of interest.

"While we may still get something out of the experiment, the main function has been compromised as a result of the damage," said Jeremy Burdon, chief of the division of Plant Industry at CSIRO. "That puts us back a year in the program."

While no arrests were made following the seizure, Brian Campbell, head of campaigns for Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said it's likely that could change. "Our activists are often arrested when they stand up for what they believe to be right," he said.

Science community upset

The defiant act has sparked outrage in Australia's scientific community. "For an organisation that claims to be dedicated to the protection of the environment, this is an unconscionable act," said Suzanne Cory, president of the Australian Academy of Science.

The experiment was observing seeding levels to assess the impact on the growth of the crop, which has been modified to improve digestive health, and could have potential benefits for obesity and bowel cancer.

"Destroying research that provides answers to important questions affecting our health and safety is counterproductive and insults scientists who undertake their work professionally, with integrity, and without fear or favour," echoed Anna-Maria Arabia, head of the scientific advocacy group Science and Technology Australia.

Arabia added: "To shut down a scientific trial by effectively destroying the laboratory it is conducted in is deplorable, undemocratic, and will not give us answers to important questions raised in this area of research."

Can GM wheat out compete?

According to Burdon, the CSIRO was preparing to begin human feeding trials with the GM wheat sometime in the next few months to a year. Following this event CSIRO has not yet discussed how it will proceed. Greenpeace has expressed concerns that GM wheat is not safe for human consumption and could out compete natural wheat strains, unintentionally contaminating farmer's fields.

"We have very little faith in the regulations in Australia," said Campbell, who called the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) a "weak institution" that did little more than "rubber stamp experiments".