One of the FBI’s “most wanted terrorists”, who remained a fugitive for more than 20 years, can be extradited to the US to face trial after he was arrested in Wales, a judge has ruled.
Daniel Andreas San Diego, 47, allegedly carried out two bombings in the San Francisco area in 2003, which were claimed by an animal rights group.
He was arrested in November 2024 at a property in a rural area next to woodland in Conwy in North Wales, where he had been living under the false identity Danny Webb.
A distinctive tattoo on his chest with the words “it only takes a spark” helped identify him as the fugitive.
He was the first alleged domestic terrorist added to the FBI’s most wanted list in 2009, alongside the likes of late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Judge Samuel Goozee’s ruling at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Friday stated that there is no bar to San Diego’s extradition – and that the home secretary will make a final decision, which is expected to be a formality.
San Diego has the right to appeal the decision at the High Court.
He fought extradition to the US, where his barrister Mark Summers KC said he could face a “90-year sentence” if convicted, at a series of hearings at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last year.
His lawyers argued he could not get a fair trial in Donald Trump‘s America, where the president had “engaged in a ‘purge'” of the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and “installed his former personal lawyers to positions of power”.
They said the high-profile and “notorious case” was “precisely the type of trial in which the current US presidential administration has shown themselves capable of, and intent on, direct interference”.
San Diego was first indicted in California in 2004, charged with two offences of causing damage by explosives, and possession of explosives.
More counts were added to a later indictment, including charges of “using or carrying an explosive device to commit a felony”.
On 28 August 2003, two bombs exploded about an hour apart on the campus of the Chiron biotechnology corporation in Emeryville, California.
Then, on 26 September 2003, one bomb strapped with nails exploded at the Shaklee nutritional products corporation in Pleasanton, California.
The bombings didn’t cause any injuries, but authorities said the biotechnology blast was meant to harm first responders.
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A group called Revolutionary Cells-Animal Liberation Brigade claimed responsibility for the attacks, citing the firms’ ties to Huntingdon Life Sciences – a company targeted by animal rights activists over its work with experimental drugs on animals.
San Diego disappeared into a transit station on 6 October 2003, when the FBI had him under surveillance as he parked his car near downtown San Francisco.
The agency didn’t see him again but said there had been several sightings reported around the world.
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A $250,000 (£199,000) reward was offered for information leading directly to the arrest of San Diego, who was born in Berkeley, California.
The FBI claimed he had ties to an animal rights extremist group, was known to follow a vegan diet, known to possess a handgun, and worked as a computer network specialist.
