An alleged animal-rights extremist who has been on the US’s most wanted terrorist list since 2009 has been arrested in the United Kingdom in connection with the bombing of a California biotechnology firm, the FBI said Tuesday.
The suspect, Daniel Andreas San Diego, was arrested in Wales on Monday in an operation conducted by Britain’s National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing and North Wales Police in coordination with the FBI, the FBI said in a statement. It was not immediately clear whether San Diego, who is now in custody pending extradition, has legal representation.
San Diego was charged in connection with a bombing at the biotechnology firm Chiron Inc. near Oakland, California in August 2003. The second bomb found there was defused by authorities and was likely intended to target first responders. San Diego authorities were accused of planting a third bomb at another California company a month later.
The FBI said no one was injured in either incident.
An entity calling itself Revolutionary Cell claimed responsibility for the attacks in statements posted on an animal rights website, citing the targeted firms’ alleged ties to Huntingdon Life Sciences, which has been criticized by animal rights activists over its use of animal testing. Was criticized. Now the firm is part of Inotiv.
In 2004 a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging San Diego with two counts of destroying or attempting to destroy property with explosives and two counts of use of a destructive device in the commission of a crime of violence.
The FBI has said that San Diego openly expressed extreme views, advocating the use of violence to achieve the goals of the animal rights movement.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the arrest shows that no matter how long a suspect is on the run, the Bureau will not give up on him.
Ray said, “There is a right way and a wrong way to express your views in our country, and violence and destroying property is not the right way.”
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