Back to Search ResultsIncident Summary:
10/26/1999: Six scientists at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States, received booby-trapped letters in envelopes lined with razor blades. Only one letter was opened, but there were no injuries in the incident. These letters were part of an 80-letter razor-blade campaign, claimed by the animal rights group, The Justice Department. The group targeted scientists, many specifically from Regional Primate Centers across America, who were conducting AIDS and cancer-related research on non-human primates, and the group was against the use of primates for laboratory tests. A communique claiming the incident was posted on both The Justice Department's website as well as that of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). In all, the communique listed twelve Harvard researchers as targets. Five of the targets that did receive the letters worked at the Harvard-owned New England Regional Primate Research Center in Southboro, Massachusetts. Not all of the letters, which also contained diagrams of simple homemade bombs and threats demanding the researchers release the animals and leave the vivisection industry, were confirmed or reported by researchers. The letters were postmarked from Las Vegas, Nevada and allegedly sent out on October 25.Overview
GTD ID:
199910260006
When:
1999-10-26
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Massachusetts
City:
Cambridge
What
| Target Type: Educational Institution | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name of Entity | Harvard University | ||
| Specific Description | six research scientists at Harvard University in Massachusetts | ||
| Nationality of Target | United States | ||
| Hostages | No |
| Ransom | No |
| Property Damage | No |
How
| Type | Sub-type |
|---|---|
| Other | |
| Weapon Details | |
| letters in envelopes rigged with utility razor blades affixed to index cards | |
| Suicide Attack? | No |
| Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
| Criterion 1 (more) | Yes |
| Criterion 2 (more) | Yes |
| Criterion 3 (more) | Yes |
| Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) | No |
| Additional Information | This was one in a series of 11 incidents (102599a-k) which constituted an 80-letter razor-blade campaign, claimed by the animal rights group, The Justice Department. The group targeted scientists, many specifically from Regional Primate Centers across America, who were conducting AIDS and cancer-related research on non-human primates, and the group was against the use of primates for laboratory tests. The letters were postmarked from Las Vegas, Nevada with no return addresses and were placed in white envelopes with razor blades inside. Not all of the letters were confirmed. The Justice Department is an animal rights group, much like the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). The group was also active in Canada and England (where it was initially based). The Justice Department also committed a razor blade campaign in August 1999 against the fur industry. |
Who
| Group Name | Claimed Responsibility |
|---|---|
| The Justice Department | Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Posted to website, blog, etc.) |
| Number of Perpetrators | Unknown |
| Number of Captured Perpetrators | Unknown |
| 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
| "Animal rights extremists target Harvard scientists and others," Associated Press, October 27, 1999. |
| "UAB, Other Schools Get Terror Mail," Birmingham News, October 28, 1999. |
| "Animal Rights Group Mails Razor Blades To Medical Researchers, Says Foundation for Biomedical Research; Group Warns of Wave of Violence If Primate Research Is Not Halted," PR Newswire, October 25, 1999. |
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