Suspect in two California bombings arrested in the United Kingdom after 20 years on the run
(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - After more than 20 years on the run, an animal extremist suspected in two California bombings has now been arrested in the U.K.
46-year-old Daniel San Diego was arrested in a rural area of Wales monday. The Bay Area born and raised bombing suspect appeared in a London courtroom related to charges for two east Bay Area bombing attacks in 2003.
It's a case former FBI agent and spokesperson Andrew Black says he'll never forget.
"This case was of great interest to the FBI. We had recently solved the Unabomb investigation and, you know, bombings were of serious concern to the FBI trying to solve them," Black shared.
San Diego was born in Berkeley and lived in Marin.
The FBI says he's responsible for targeting companies with connections to animal testing.
In August of 2003, he is accused of bombing the Emeryville Campus of Chiron, a biotechnology company now owned by another firm. Investigators say he planted two bombs, set to explode at different times. They believe the second bomb was meant to injure those responding to the first explosion.
Then, in September 2003, he's accused of setting off another bomb at nutritional product company, Shakelee, in Pleasonton.
Black says it's a miracle no-one is injured in any of the bombings.
"It's the callous disregard for the community. You know, it's okay to have a difference of opinion politically, but when you use or resort to violence and destruction of property and risk to human life, you're way out of bounds," Black expressed.
San Diego was the first so-called domestic terrorist ever to be placed on the FBI's Most Wanted List, but the case went cold after he fled the country, weeks after the second attack.
"They were very close to capturing him then. He alluded them, they had a surveillance team on him and he alluded them by parking the car near a BART station, that's a train station, hopping on it, never to be seen for 21 years," Black detailed.
Former FBI Special Agent Gil Torrez knows the complexities of what it takes to find a suspect overseas.
"It becomes difficult because many times they go to countries where there is no extradition. It becomes a waiting game. We have to wait for them to travel, vacation, maybe go to some country or some territory that is user-friendly in the sense that they may cooperate with the U.S," Torrez remarked.
It's not clear how the FBI and Abroad Agency's captured San Diego and when he will be extradited.
In a statement, the director of the FBI said in part: "Daniel San Diego's arrest after more than 20 years as a fugitive for two bombings in the San Francisco area shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable."
