Anti-oilpatch activist Wiebo Ludwig speaks to reporters on the weekend. Police have been searching Ludwig's property near Hythe, Alta., for evidence related to six EnCana gas pipeline bombings in northeastern B.C. (CBC)The search of anti-oilpatch activist Wiebo Ludwig's Alberta property has ended, RCMP announced Monday afternoon.

"The RCMP has concluded the search of this property. A number of items have been seized and will be submitted for forensic assessment to determine their evidentiary value," RCMP Insp. Tim Shields told reporters outside Ludwig's Trickle Creek farm.

Crown prosecutors in British Columbia will review the evidence and determine whether charges will be laid, Shields said.

"We don't know how long, if there will be any other arrests, as well," he said. "I can tell you we are in constant negotiation and conversation with Crown counsel in British Columbia who have the jurisdiction for charge approval for this particular investigation."

RCMP Insp. Tim Shields announced the end of the search of Ludwig's farm Monday afternoon. (CBC)Police started searching Ludwig's family compound near Hythe, Alta., on Friday. They were looking for evidence related to six EnCana gas pipeline bombings in northeastern B.C. RCMP had a warrant to search the property for five days.

Shields would not say where police found evidence and how much material they seized.

Police confident

Ludwig, 68, was arrested Friday, but released 24 hours later without charges being laid. Shields said police are still confident in whom they arrested and added the arrest was thought out in advance.

"We are confident after reviewing all the information that is in our possession, that we arrested the right person, for the right reasons, and at the right time," Shields said.

On Friday, Ludwig's lawyer, Paul Moreau, said his client was going to be charged with extortion of EnCana. On Monday, he said police may have jumped the gun in making the arrest.

"Given that they knew that there would be intense media scrutiny of their actions, given that they invited that scrutiny by issuing the first media release themselves, I would find it very strange that the RCMP hadn't taken all the steps that they ought to have taken in order to maintain the arrest and continue it with laying of charges," Moreau said.

Not the bomber, Ludwig says

Ludwig has denied having anything to do with the bombings.

On CBC Radio's The Current on Monday, Ludwig wanted to focus on talking about the effects the oil and gas industry has on human health, rather than whether he is the bomber or knows the bomber.

"I would prefer to talk about other, more important matters, than to answer all those questions," he told host Anna Maria Tremonti.

An RCMP dog searches Wiebo Ludwig's Trickle Creek property near Hythe, Alberta. (CBC)"I'm not interested in being interrogated. I've been interrogated for 10 hours already and I don't need that from the media, and I've told them that. And so I try to shift the focus to the real culprits, the people who do a lot of damage, not just to locals here, but to the world, in the petrochemical industry."

In 2000, Ludwig was found guilty of five charges related to bombings and vandalism of oil and gas wells in northwestern Alberta. He served two-thirds of a 28-month prison sentence before he was released in 2001.

According to Moreau, RCMP were looking for pens, writing paper, recording equipment and explosives.

Round-the-clock search

About 60 officers searched the property round the clock. Ludwig and 50 others who live on the massive compound were confined to about four or five buildings on site, according to Ludwig's son, Josh. An RCMP officer escorted them as they went about their daily activities.

RCMP defended Ludwig's arrest, saying he was taken into custody in the interest of public safety and they were able to gather more evidence relevant to their investigation.

Someone claiming to be the bomber sent a letter to the Dawson Creek Daily News in July 2009.

It warned EnCana that the attacks would get worse if the Calgary-based company didn't shut down its operations in northeastern B.C. before the end of a three-month moratorium set by the bomber. The deadline passed without any further incidents.

A handwritten letter demanding an end to oil and gas development in the area was also sent to the local media in October 2008 before the first of the six bombings.

With files from The Canadian Press