Alberta activist Wiebo Ludwig was arrested and detained for 24 hours last month in the investigation into the bombings of EnCana pipeline facilities in northeastern B.C. A month later, RCMP have yet to charge anyone in the case. (CBC)The RCMP are defending the arrest and detention of Alberta environmental activist Wiebo Ludwig in connection with a series of natural gas pipeline bombings in B.C. even though no charges have been laid a month after the arrest.

"[The arrest] has advanced the investigation, which has brought us a step closer to the end," said Insp. Tim Shields, who speaks for RCMP in British Columbia.

RCMP have been investigating six bombings at natural gas pipeline facilities near Dawson Creek, B.C., owned by Alberta-based energy giant EnCana. The bombings occurred between October 2008 and July 2009.

Police arrested Ludwig, 68, who had sent an open letter to the EnCana pipeline bomber in September 2009 expressing his support but urging the bombings to stop, on Jan. 8, at a hotel in Grande Prairie, Alta. That same day, they arrived at his farm in nearby Hythe with a five-day search warrant.

At the time of the arrest, Ludwig's lawyer, Paul Moreau, told reporters RCMP had indicated to him that Ludwig would be charged with extortion of EnCana in connection with the bombings.

However, Ludwig was not charged and was released 24 hours after his arrest.

RCMP left Ludwig's farm after completing their search on Jan. 11. They seized a number of items that Shields said RCMP are still analyzing.

"We should have more to say about our ultimate progress in the investigation in the future," he said. He did no say when that would be.

Ludwig, who spent time in prison for bombing and vandalizing oil and gas installations in Alberta in the 1990s, maintains he is innocent of the recent bombings but doesn't rule out the possibility that he may be arrested again.

"I don't care to malign these people [police]," Ludwig, who was released from jail in 2001 after serving two-thirds of a 28-month sentence, said Friday. "They may have had leads that they were excited about and wanted to pursue. But ... publicity-wise? They made a big mistake."

RCMP focused much of their 15-month investigation on the community of Tomslake B.C., which is close to where the bombings took place. News of Ludwig's arrest last month was greeted initially with relief by people in the community. A month later, that relief has turned into frustration.

"It doesn't make sense, spending all that money, time and effort and getting people's hopes up and then no definite outcome," said Bobbie-Ann Weipert.

Weipert said she hopes the next time RCMP make an arrest in the case, they detain the right person.