Incident Summary:
04/16/1987: A fire set to the animal diagnostic center at the Veterinary Medicine Research Building at the University of California-Davis, in the United States, partially destroyed the building, causing an estimated $3,500,000 in damages. Additionally, vandals slashed tires and painted slogans such as "Animal Liberation Front" and "Stop the Torture," on about seventeen parked cars including university vehicles, in lots on the campus, about a half-mile from the fire. There were no casualties in the incident. Hand-printed notes, signed "ALF," for Animal Liberation Front, claimed the vandalism of vehicles was "to retaliate in the name of thousands of animals tortured each year in campus labs." The notes were slipped under the front door of a building in Sacramento housing offices of both The Associated Press and United Press International. Additionally, in an anonymous telephone call made to a Sacramento television station after the fire, the caller stated that ALF was responsible for the arson as well.
Overview
GTD ID:
198704160014
When:
1987-04-16
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
California
City:
Davis
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Educational Institution |
Name of Entity |
University of California-Davis |
Specific Description |
Veterinary Medicine Research Facility meant to house the animal diagnostic center (which was in the process of construction) at the University of California-Davis |
Nationality of Target |
United States |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Major (likely > $1 million but < $1 billion) |
Value of Property Damage |
$1,000,000.00 |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Incendiary |
Arson/Fire |
Sabotage Equipment |
|
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Additional Information |
Though the notes left by ALF made no mention of the fire, an anonymous caller to a television station in Sacramento later claimed that ALF was responsible for the arson, so the incident was claimed by both letter and phone. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
FBI, "Terrorism in the United States: 1988," Terrorist Research and Analytical Center, Counterterrorism Section Criminal Investigative Division, FBI, December 31, 1988. |
"Fire Damages University Building," The Associated Press, April 16, 1987. |
Jan Haag, The Associated Press, April 16, 1987. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties