November 28th 2024.
After more than 20 years on the run, the FBI's most wanted terror suspect, Daniel Andreas San Diego, 46, was finally arrested on Monday at a property in a rural area next to the beautiful woodland in Conwy, a secluded Welsh beauty spot. The FBI had been on the hunt for San Diego, an alleged animal rights extremist, ever since two bombs went off an hour apart on the campus of a biotechnology company in California in August 2003. He was also suspected in another bombing a month later.
Despite being on the FBI's most wanted list, San Diego was known to the handful of neighbours who lived near him in the peaceful shadow of Snowdonia as Danny, a quiet American who kept to himself. One neighbour described his £425,000 detached bungalow as such a secluded place that one wouldn't even know there was a house there unless they walked right up to it. They assumed he had his reasons for moving to such a remote location and respected his privacy.
Those who lived near San Diego were surprised to hear of his true identity and the fact that he had been on the run from the FBI for two decades. To them, he was just Danny, the man who could sometimes be seen chopping wood beside his garage or driving around in his old Seat car. However, they did note that he was not one to engage in conversation and never introduced himself.
One local resident, speaking to MailOnline, shared that they only saw 'Danny' in passing while walking their dog and that he never seemed keen to talk. They were shocked to recognize him from the news and couldn't believe they had been living so close to a fugitive for so long. They also mentioned that San Diego's background was never something he shared with them, which now made sense given his status as a wanted criminal.
The FBI had offered a reward of $250,000 for information leading directly to San Diego's arrest, as he was suspected to have ties to an animal rights extremist group. The agency also shared that San Diego was involved in the bombings on August 28, 2003, and September 26, 2003, at biotechnology and nutritional products corporations, respectively. The bombings were claimed by a group called Revolutionary Cells-Animal Liberation Brigade, who targeted these companies for their ties to Huntingdon Life Sciences, a controversial research facility that used animals in its experiments.
San Diego was featured on billboards across the country, from California to New York, including Times Square. He was also featured on the TV program 'America's Most Wanted' multiple times. Growing up in an upper-middle class suburb of Marin County and the son of a city manager, San Diego had a comfortable life. He worked as a computer network specialist, was a skilled sailor, and was known to carry a handgun, according to the FBI.
On October 6, 2003, San Diego was under surveillance when he parked his car near downtown San Francisco and disappeared into a transit station. He was not seen again until his arrest on Monday. Over the years, there were numerous sightings reported around the world, and the FBI conducted searches in various locations, including Massachusetts and Hawaii.
FBI director Christopher Wray stated that San Diego's arrest after more than 20 years as a fugitive shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find and hold criminals accountable. He also emphasized that there is a right way and a wrong way to express one's views in the country, and turning to violence and destruction of property is not the right way.
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