Greenpeace sues Dow, Sasol

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Two U.S. chemical companies conspired to conduct corporate espionage on the environmental advocacy group Greenpeace, a lawsuit charges.

Greenpeace filed a lawsuit against Dow Chemical and chemical company Sasol for working with investigative company Beckett Brown International to spy on the advocacy group from 1998 to 2000.

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of stealing documents, intercepting phone calls and unlawful surveillance.

"The message of this lawsuit is: When companies engage in espionage, they will be discovered and exposed," Phil Radford, executive director of Greenpeace USA, said in a statement. "These unacceptable and underhanded tactics interfered with valuable work we were undertaking to protect public health and expose environmental crimes."

Greenpeace said it was examining dioxin and other pollutants near Lake Charles, La., when it was infiltrated. Sasol operates in the area.

BBI, which Greenpeace said employs former secret service agents and police officers, eventually expanded its alleged spying to the group's Washington offices.

Greenpeace said a journalist revealed the activity to the group in 2008.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington. Neither of the chemical companies named issued a public comment through their press divisions.