CA Eco-Terrorist On FBI Most Wanted Terrorist List Caught in Wales After 20 Years On The Run

The FBI announced on Tuesday that Daniel Andreas San Diego, an eco-terrorist wanted for multiple bombings in Northern California in the mid-2000’s, was arrested in Wales, ending his 20+ years long placement on the FBI most wanted terrorist list.

San Diego, originally from Berkeley, began holding radical views on animal rights and environmentalism in the early 2000’s while living in Schellville, just outside of Sonoma. These soon advanced to ties with groups such as the  Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) and the Animal Liberation Brigade (ALB). His first bombings were in Emeryville on August 28, 2003, targeting the Chiron Corporation. The two bombs did little property damage, but caught federal attention when it was found out that the second bomb had been timed to try and hurt first responders.

The next month, he set off another bomb at the Shaklee Corporation in Pleasanton, once again causing property damage. While the bombings never killed anyone, investigators concluded that it was only a matter of time before they did. The FBI soon put him under a 24 hour watch. In October 2oo3, San Diego found that he was under FBI surveillance and managed to lose them in San Francisco, where he hadn’t been seen since. The next year he was indicted and, in 2009, became the first domestic terrorist ever added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list. In the past two decades, sightings of San Diego had been in Canada, Massachusetts and in Hawaii, but with no arrests as a result.

According to the FBI’s wanted poster “He is known to follow a vegan diet, eating no meat or food containing animal products. In the past, he has worked as a computer network specialist and with the operating system LINUX. San Diego wears eyeglasses, is skilled at sailing, and has traveled internationally. He is known to possess a handgun.”

While details are currently unknown where he had been between 2003 and 2024, it is known that the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA) had been recently looking into him. This led to his arrest in Wales on Monday, ending his 21 years on the run from the law. He was arrested in the Conwy area of Wales in the UK on Monday, and appeared in the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, with the UK preparing to hand him over to the US soon.

“There’s a right way and a wrong way to express your views in our country, and turning to violence and destruction of property is not the right way,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday. “Daniel San Diego’s arrest after more than 20 years shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable.”

San Diego is likely to be extradited back to the United States soon, with a long jail sentence likely awaiting him. It is currently unknown if the UK will add any charges as well.

“No country likes a terrorist, especially one that aimed to kill first responders like that,” added Frank Ma, a former law enforcement official who now works as a security advisor for businesses in San Francisco and cities in the Peninsula, to the Globe on Tuesday. “I was still with the police at the time, and I remember the APB being out on him. It’s always a good day when these dangerous people are caught.

“What San Diego did was pretty unforgiveable, so expect some nice long jail sentences for him. The FBI will want to get him back stateside as soon as possible.”

More on where San Diego was in the past 20 years and when he will be flown back to the U.S. is expected soon.