Featured Image Credit: FBI
Topics: California, Crime, News, Terrorism, US News, Wales, True crime
Niamh Shackleton
Topics: California, Crime, News, Terrorism, US News, Wales, True crime
A man who was wanted by the FBI for over 20 years has finally be located.
Daniel Andreas San Diego was wanted in connection to the 2003 bombings in San Francisco, California.
On August 28 2003, two bombs exploded about one hour apart on the campus of the Chiron biotechnology corporation in Emeryville, California, the FBI previously said.
Then, on September 26 2003, one bomb strapped with nails exploded at the Shaklee nutritional products corporation in Pleasanton, California.
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In the weeks that followed the second blast, police carried out a search of San Diego's property and found magazines and pamphlets suggesting an interest in animal rights. The 47-year-old is believed to have had ties to an animal rights extremist group.
The following day officers found several ingredients for making explosives in San Diego's car, BBC News reports.
San Diego was dubbed as one of the FBI's 'most wanted fugitives' as a result of his alleged ties to the bombings.
But it took the authorities 21 years to locate the accused criminal, who was arrested in November 2024.
San Diego wasn't found stateside however, but in Wales, UK, almost 5,000 miles away from where his alleged crimes took place. To be precise, San Diego was found in the small town of Conwy.
He was detained by officers from the National Crime Agency, supported by Counter Terrorism Policing and North Wales Police, at a property in a rural area next to woodland in Conwy on November 25.
San Diego was indicted in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, in 2004, charged with causing damage by explosives at Chiron and Shaklee, and possession of explosives during the alleged offences.
Under a subsequent indictment, new counts were added including charges of 'using or carrying an explosive device to commit a felony', the extradition hearing heard.
Should the prosecution bring forward terrorism charges against San Diego, he could face up to 90 years behind bars.
"Through this second indictment the prosecutor has created a situation for the judge where they will need to impose at least 35 years in the event of conviction in due course," said San Diego's defense.
It was added: "The guidelines would say 37-39 years – there’s no parole so the defendant would have to serve that.
"And if the prosecution can persuade the judge to impose a terrorism enhancement as well, then the guidelines say he’s got to give a 90-year sentence."
San Diego's extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court stared on Monday (September 8).