78 diamond back terrapins, "presumably on a mating spree, shut down a runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport Wednesday morning for 35 minutes, causing an a hour-and-a-half delay for flights." A spokesman for the Port Authority called the incident uncommon, but not unprecedented. However, given the recent spate of avian attacks, we had to wonder: Is this some kind of organized attempt by the animal kingdom to prevent us from taking to the air? It turns out that it is.

An organization calling itself La Lucha Terrapista claimed responsibility for yesterday's event. We spoke with its leader, a masked reptile who goes by the name Subcomandante Tortos. In a wide-ranging discussion, the intelligent and charismatic revolutionary discussed his group's aims, its philosophical underpinnings, and whether or not he saw the birds as part of the struggle.

The Awl: Much has been written and said about the Terrapistas, but little concrete is known about your ideology. There are many who are trying to claim your struggle as their own. The birds say that you are birds; the beavers say that you are beavers and the list goes on . . .

Tortos: The bears say that we are bears . . .

The Awl: No, we have never been able to say for sure [laughter]. We need proof. However, you have insisted that you are Terrapistas. Anti- aviationism is felt in each of your words and actions, in the manner in which you are organized, in the structure of the Runway Disruption Committees, in the collective participation. The only precedents for your actions and attitudes go back precisely to those whose names you constantly evoke: Big Headed Larry The Turtle and Bobby Testudine [Ed. Note: Bobby Tortuga, a speckled padloper, delayed an Air France flight from LaGuardia for 47 minutes back in 1973.]. Has Testudinismo permeated your ideology?

Tortos: This is a question?

The Awl: [laughter]. No, a presentation.

Tortos: I thought it was a speech.

The Awl: No, no, a presentation.

Tortos: Well then, I'm going to explain. La Lucha Terrapista was born having as points of reference the political-military organizations of the guerilla movements in regional airports during the sixties and seventies: That is to say, political-military structures with the central aim of causing major inconvenience for air travelers in an attempt to force them to confront their effect on the planet.

When the first group of the LLT soldiers arrived here, to the marshes of Jamaica Bay, it was a very small group with this political-military structure that I am talking about. It began to adapt itself to the surroundings, to try to survive – that is to say, to permeate the territory, to make it survivable. But, above all, it began to forge in the combatant, in that initial group of combatants, the physical and ideological strength needed for the guerilla process. I mean by this that the tarmacs served as a school for cadres, inflexible and constant day and night. But things were taking shape. In this period there weren't cameras, there weren't recorders, there wasn't any press, nor were there military actions. The only thing that lets you stick to the tarmacs and endure is hope, because there isn't any payment. I'm not referring to monetary payment, of course there never was any of that, but to some moral payment, to something that would serve as some sort of assurance that it is all worth it. Or a little lettuce every now and again. That would be nice.

The environment brings you back to reality and makes you understand that all revolutions have a cost and only those who are disposed to pay it can carry out the revolution. To begin with, in that time you had to be crazy or stupid to try to carry it out. I think that we were both stupid and crazy. There was nothing that would tell us that we were fine and that the venture was going to have a future or that it had a chance. There was the fact that we had tried to bring about change – not necessarily revolutionary change – by other methods and in different places. But then the fucking birds had to go and jump the gun. They are total attention whores.

The Awl: I wanted to ask about that. You're saying you're not in league with the birds?

Tortos: Listen, on one hand there is this form of organization. I'm going to make a reference so that you understand better – student assemblies. Student assemblies are better as forms of protest or for analyzing problems. In the case of the indigenous animal communities, it is a way of life. On the other hand we have the authoritarian form of the army, of a political-military organization, but a military organization after all. But it only works if the fucking birds follow the goddamn organization chart.

I want you to understand me; we didn't arrive and say, It is necessary that the collective and democracy guide us. That isn't true, of course. This wasn't our conception. Our conception was vertical: What is necessary is a group of strong animals, with ideological and physical strength, with the resistance to carry out this task, be they clad in beautiful shells or cursed with lice-ridden wings. Our conception was that we were few but of high quality. Well, I'm not saying that we were of that high quality, but we sure were few.

Finally, I can't say exactly when – it's not something that's planned – the moment arrived in which the LLT had to consult the communities in order to make a decision. But the birds refused to wait. They insisted that action needed to be taken immediately, well before the G8 summit, if we really wanted to have an impact. [Pauses.] You see what happened to them.

The Awl: So now that you turtles have made your move, can we expect further actions like the one we say yesterday?

Tortos: Yes! Definitely. The glorious events of 8 July will bring changes at the theoretical level as well. We arrived here and we were confronted by this reality, the indigenous reality, and it continues to control us. Ultimately the theoretical confronted the practical, and something happened – the result was the LLT. And we will continue these activities until you do something about the climate. Actually, in all the excitement, I didn't get a chance to read the paper. Did they settle everything at the summit yesterday?

The Awl: Uh, I'm sure they're just finalizing the details. Nothing to worry about.

Tortos: Imperialist lies! I say to you here today that we will never cease from the struggle. Tomorrow we will send 70 more of our companeros into the heat of that hellhole you call Newark. Viva la revolucion!

The Awl: Great, I think that's all I need. Can I drop you off anywhere?

Tortos: If you could put me in the bay I'd really appreciate it. I'm fucking exhausted. [Pause] Anyway, I think that went well. Did I sound too harsh about the birds?

The Awl: Nah. I think you made your ideological and strategic differences clear.

Tortos: Good. Because I fucking hate those goddamn wingy freaks. Okay, here's good. Have a pleasant evening. Also, don't plan on flying anywhere soon.

The Awl: Believe me, it's the furthest thing from my mind.