FBI ‘most wanted terrorist’ arrested in Wales can be extradited, judge rules

FBI ‘Most Wanted’ Fugitive Arrested in Wales Can Be Extradited to the US

A man once listed among the FBI’s most wanted terrorists can be extradited to the United States after being arrested in Wales following more than 20 years on the run, a judge has ruled.

Daniel Andreas San Diego, 47, is accused of carrying out two bomb attacks in California in 2003 that were claimed by an animal rights extremist group. He was arrested in November 2024 at a rural property near woodland in Conwy, North Wales, where he had been living under the false identity of Danny Webb.

A distinctive tattoo on his chest reading “it only takes a spark” helped authorities confirm his identity.

San Diego was the first alleged domestic terrorist added to the FBI’s most wanted list in 2009. At the time, he appeared alongside figures such as the late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

On Friday, Judge Samuel Goozee ruled at Westminster Magistrates’ Court that there was no legal barrier to his extradition. The judge said the final decision now rests with the home secretary and is expected to be a formality. San Diego retains the right to appeal the ruling at the High Court.

San Diego has fought extradition, with his barrister, Mark Summers KC, telling the court he could face a sentence of up to 90 years if convicted in the US.

His legal team argued that he would not receive a fair trial in the United States under the current administration, claiming political interference within the Department of Justice and describing the case as “notorious” and vulnerable to direct involvement by the executive.

San Diego was first indicted in California in 2004 on charges including causing damage by explosives and possession of explosive devices. Additional charges were later added, including using or carrying an explosive device to commit a felony.

On 28 August 2003, two bombs exploded around an hour apart at the Chiron biotechnology corporation in Emeryville, California. A month later, on 26 September, a nail-packed bomb exploded at the Shaklee nutritional products corporation in Pleasanton.

No one was injured in the attacks, though authorities said one of the bombs was designed to harm first responders.

Responsibility for the attacks was claimed by a group calling itself Revolutionary Cells–Animal Liberation Brigade, which cited the companies’ alleged links to Huntingdon Life Sciences, a firm targeted by animal rights activists for its use of animals in drug testing.

San Diego vanished on 6 October 2003 after entering a transit station in San Francisco while under FBI surveillance. Although there were reported sightings worldwide, he remained at large for two decades.

The FBI had offered a reward of $250,000 (£199,000) for information leading to his arrest. He was born in Berkeley, California, and was described by the agency as having links to animal rights extremists, following a vegan diet, possessing a handgun, and working as a computer network specialist.