Daniel Andreas San Diego, a 46-year-old former resident of California, was apprehended in Wales, with significant assistance from British authorities, after nearly two decades of evading capture, following his placement on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List in 2009.
According to federal investigators, San Diego, then 25, orchestrated a brazen attack on August 28, 2003, by planting two explosive devices at the offices of Chiron Inc., a prominent biotech firm based in Emeryville, with the intention of inflicting maximum damage and harm. The first bomb exploded in the early morning hours, but swift action by authorities ensured the area was evacuated, thwarting the detonation of the second device, which was set to go off approximately an hour later, resulting in potentially devastating consequences.
A company spokesperson at the time revealed that the bombings capped off a prolonged and escalating series of “harassment incidents” by animal rights activists against Chiron executives, which began in May 2003, alleging the company’s involvement in conducting medical tests on laboratory animals.
The FBI alleged that San Diego struck again just a month later, on September 26, 2003, by planting another bomb at a company in Pleasanton, which contained nails designed to maximize injuries from shrapnel. Although no one was harmed in either incident, the FBI stated that the design, placement, and timing of the devices demonstrated San Diego’s intent to cause severe harm or death.
A federal arrest warrant was issued on October 5, 2003, but San Diego vanished before authorities could apprehend him. In 2004, a federal grand jury indicted San Diego on two counts of destroying or attempting to destroy property using explosives and two counts of employing a destructive device in a violent crime.
In January 2006, the FBI offered a $250,000 reward for information leading directly to San Diego’s capture. Three years later, in 2009, the FBI added San Diego to its Most Wanted Terrorist List. Since then, San Diego had been at large until his recent capture.
“Daniel San Diego’s apprehension after more than 20 years as a fugitive for orchestrating two bombings in the San Francisco area sends a resounding message: the FBI will pursue you relentlessly, and hold you accountable for your actions, regardless of the timeframe,” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray stated. “There are lawful channels to express dissent in our nation, and resorting to violence and destruction of property is not an option.”
