An alleged terrorist who managed to evade the FBI for more than two decades has appeared in court after being tracked down in Wales.
Despite being on the agency’s ‘most wanted’ list since 2003 and having a $250,000 (£190,000) bounty on his head, Daniel Andreas San Diego somehow managed to avoid detection until last year.
The 46-year-old, from Berkeley, California, is believed to have set up a new life in North Wales after reportedly fleeing the US.
Cops from the UK’s National Crime Agency and Counter Terrorism Police swooped on his rural home in Maenan, Conwy, in November last year.
After over 20 years on the run, San Diego was snared for allegedly carrying out a double bombing on US soil in 2003.
The FBI – who offered a quarter of a million dollars for information leading to his capture – described him as an ‘animal rights extremist’ and a ‘skilled’ sailor.
San Diego was described as having a tattoo in the centre of his chest of ‘burning hillsides’ which was accompanied by the words: “It only takes a spark.”
The fugitive made the most wanted list due to his alleged involvement in two explosions in San Francisco which took place 22 years ago.
Daniel Andreas San Diego was finally captured last year after a two decade manhunt (FBI/PA)
The FBI explained: “On August 28, 2003, two bombs exploded approximately one hour apart on the campus of a biotechnology corporation in Emeryville.
“Then, on September 26, 2003, one bomb strapped with nails exploded at a nutritional products corporation in Pleasanton. San Diego was indicted in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, in July of 2004.”
No injuries were reported from the blasts.
The bureau warned that San Diego ‘should be considered armed and dangerous’, while adding that the 6ft-tall bloke was known to possess a handgun.
It is believed that he had been living under a false name in the Welsh countryside for a number of years after fleeing the States at some point in 2003.
FBI agent David Johnson explained that the fugitive was last sighted in San Francisco before he was eventually found in Wales.
He told the BBC: “He parked his car, got out of his vehicle and started walking down the street and, if I’m not mistaken, he went into a Bart [train] station. And that was the last time we’ve seen him.”
It is believed that San Diego then purchased his £425,000 UK property, which boasted a balcony with sweeping views of the countryside, under an alias.
The former owner of the home, Aled Evans, said the secluded pad was a ‘perfect place to hide’.
The fugitive is currently being held at HMP Belmarsh in London (Elizabeth Cook/PA)
“[San Diego] was besotted with the view from the house,” Evans added following the alleged bomber’s capture last year. “His view for the foreseeable future won’t be half as good.”
On Monday (6 January), San Diego appeared before Llandudno Magistrates’ Court on a video link from HMP Belmarsh in London, according to the BBC.
District judge Gwyn Jones granted the police’s application for a 12-month account freezing order after a financial investigator found the fugitive had £20,000 stashed in three separate UK Lloyds bank accounts.
Zara Parry told the court that she found the trio of accounts under the fake name Danny Webb – and it has since been confirmed these belong to San Diego.
He remains in custody while awaiting extradition to the US.
During his court appearance, according to North Wales Live, San Diego said: “Ultimately, without being able to speak to a solicitor, I wouldn’t want to make any representations because I don’t know the legalities of what’s happening.”
As the hearing finished, San Diego nonchalantly said: “Cool, thank you.”
FBI director Christopher Wray previously said that the case ‘shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable’.
A woman has been found alive more than 50 years after going missing.
The missing person case was one of the UK’s longest running mysteries, and it’s finally been solved.
Aged 16, Sheila Fox vanished from Coventry city centre without a trace back in 1972. When she disappeared, police believed that she was in a relationship with an older man, though she was still living at home with her parents.
Just last week (29 December), police sent out a new appeal to find the missing woman, highlighting that they had an ‘open mind’ as she might simply have moved away without telling anyone.
Bizarrely, there has been absolutely no trace of her in the following five decades, but detectives have now provided an update on the now 68-year-old Sheila.
Police have finally found the missing woman (Getty Stock Photo)
In an official statement, West Midlands Police wrote: “We are delighted to announce the conclusion of one of West Midlands Police’s longest-running missing person investigations.
“We recently published a renewed appeal to help find Sheila Fox, who went missing from Coventry in 1972. Now, Sheila has been found and spoken to, with officers confirming she is alive and well.”
A lone photo of the missing woman from the time of her disappearance was discovered by officers, who posted it on their website and on social media, with members of the public soon getting in touch with information ‘within hours’.
Authorities were then able to locate her, as they confirmed that she was safe and living in a different part of the country, putting an end to one of the longest running missing person cases they have investigated.
Detective Sergeant Jenna Shaw from the department’s Cold Case Investigation Team also released a statement on the case.
Sheila Cox has been found alive and well, over half a century later (West Midlands Police)
She said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have found Sheila after more than five decades.
“We searched through every piece of evidence we could find and managed to locate a photo of Sheila.
“We are a small team of officers and I’d like to recognise the work of DC Shaun Reeve, who managed to resolve this case with help from the public,” she acknowledged.
Adding that each missing person ‘has a story’, and regardless of how long it may be or for whatever reason, ‘their families and friends deserve to know what happened to them’, which can sometimes end with a reunion.
“Missing people can be from all ages and backgrounds, often with vastly differing reasons for going missing.” the statement said.
“With advances in forensics and technology, the team is able to pursue leads which weren’t necessarily available at the time these cases were first reported.”
It’s a scenario you can’t quite imagine; but for this man, it was all too real.
Reverend Mike Hall had bought a house in Luton back in 1990, and had spent most of the years since working in North Wales.
Reverend Mike Hall was stunned to find his house was occupied by someone else (Google Maps)
But while working there, he’d received a call from his neighbours to tell him that the lights were on at his property.
Upon returning, he discovered that the house had been sold without his permission for £131,000.
In fact, what he found in Luton was the new resident carrying out building work inside the house.
BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours investigated the situation.
Hall explained: “I tried my key in the front door, it didn’t work and a man opened the front door to me – and the shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture, everything was out of the property.”
The investigation discovered a tangled web of fraud, in which a fake driving license was used to impersonate Hall. A bank account was set up to receive proceeds from sale of the house. The BBC also obtained phone recording of somebody impersonating Hall and instructing solicitors to sell the property.
In November 2023, after two years of court battles, Hall got his name listed as owner on the Land Registry.
But this wasn’t the end of the story. After not seeing the house for two months, he showed up at the house with a builder.
What ensued was a series of legal proceedings (Wikimedia Commons/David Howard)
He noticed that a back window had been broken and the front door’s lock ‘had been punched out’.
Hall reckoned squatters had moved in, as the curtains were closed, the lights were switched on, and the boiler was being used.
He worked out there’d been about £60,000 worth of damage to the house and it was reported that Bedfordshire Police advised him to go back to the courts for an Interim Possession Order to enable the arrest of the two people believed to be squatting.
The matter of squatters and squatters’ rights is a complicated matter.
Earlier this year, Gordon Ramsay‘s £13 million pub got occupied after it got put up for sale. The squatters wanted to use the property as a community art cafe, as they taped up a sign on the door warning outsiders of occupation.
It read: “Take notice that we occupy this property and at all times there is at least one person in occupation.
“That any entry or attempt to enter into these premises without our permission is therefore a criminal offence as any one of us who is in physical possession is opposed to such entry without our permission.
“That if you attempt to enter by violence or by threatening violence we will prosecute you. You may receive a sentence of up to six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000.
“That if you want to get us out you will have to issue a claim for possession in the County Court or in the High Court.”
It’s technically not illegal to squat inside a unoccupied non-residential or commercial property.
Charles Bronson could reportedly be released from prison later this year.
Known as the UK’s most notorious prisoner, Bronson has been behind bars since 1974, after being charged for armed robbery aged just 22.
However, his initial seven-year sentence continued to increase after a number of attacks on other prisoners and guards.
Bronson was then released in 1987, but the boxer was then thrown back in jail after being found guilty of a second armed robbery.
After this, the now 72-year-old was given a discretionary life sentence with a minimum term of four years after holding a prison teacher hostage for almost 48 hours in 1999.
After all of this, it looks like Bronson is looking to mount another attempt at getting freedom, after several failed attempts in previous years.
The Brit, who has been married twice and has a son, is having his case reviewed by Parole Board chiefs for the ninth time, The Mirror reports.
Charles Bronson is looking to be released from prison this year (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
A friend of Bronson’s spoke to The Daily Star, saying: “He fears dying in prison. This could be his one and only chance of freedom. It has been several years now since he has been violent.
“He is not the person he was. We hope this will be the year he is released.”
The prisoner, who has an odd list of things he’d like to do if he was released, has also changed his name to Charles Salvador, though he was initially born as Michael Peterson in Luton.
Bronson has a record of attacking people within the prison, as one trial heard that he took 11 hostages in nine different sieges, with a parole hearing in 2023 denying his request to transfer to an open prison.
Despite the panel stating that there was ‘evidence of improved self-control and better emotional management’, they also detailed that they ‘could not be satisfied’ by his ability to manage risks of future violence.
The 72-year-old has been behind bars for the majority of the last 50 or so years (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The Mirror further reports that he is currently held at HMP Woodhill, Milton Keynes.
The Parole Board released a statement detailing that his next hearing could last a day or more, as they review evidence given by prison officers, psychiatrists and victims.
“Decisions are focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable… It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length,” they said.
Former Metropolitan Police detective Peter Bleksley shared: “I think there will be a huge fear within the Parole Board that Charles Bronson can be released. He has an appalling criminal history while behind bars.”
Four people have been taken to hospital after a car hit pedestrians in the early hours of Christmas Day morning.
According to a statement from the Metropolitan Police, officers were called at 00.45am on Wednesday (25 December) morning following reports of a car driving on the wrong side of the road in the busy West London area of Covent Garden. The incident is not ‘terror-related’.
A police cordon is now in place on Shaftesbury Avenue (Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
Officers added that four people were subsequently taken to hospital, with one remaining in a life-threatening condition. Meanwhile the driver, a 31-year-old man, has since been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Police said they believed the suspect was ‘involved in an altercation at a nightclub prior to getting in his car and mounting the pavement’.
They added that it had ‘been confirmed as an isolated incident which is not terror-related’.
Speaking about the incident, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: “Officers responded quickly to this report, working closely with City of London Police to arrest a man within minutes.
“Detectives are quickly progressing inquiries as part of this investigation.
“It’s believed that the suspect was involved in an altercation at a nightclub prior to getting in his car and mounting the pavement.
A 31-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder (Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
“Several scenes remain in place at the location today.
“This has been confirmed as an isolated incident which is not terror-related.”
Anyone with information is asked to call officers on 101 or post @MetCC ref CAD 233 of December 25.
