A violent attack on Chiron Corp., a California-based biotechnology company, appears to be part of a pattern of increasingly destructive attacks by animal-rights activists in the US, according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Under seige: Animal-rights activists have targeted California-based Chiron and its 2,000 employees. Credit: Kris Novak

Two small bombs exploded on 28 August at Chiron's Emeryville campus. The animal-rights group Revolutionary Cells–Animal Liberation Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack, citing Chiron's ties to Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), a New Jersey–based company that provides animal testing for the pharmaceutical industry. Although no one was injured and damage was limited to a few broken windows, the FBI has opened a domestic terrorism investigation.

Protests against Chiron's relationship with HLS began last May, when activists harassed employees at their homes and vandalized their property. Chiron spokesman John Gallagher says the vandals left “explicit messages about animal rights.” The day before the bombing, Chiron sent an e-mail to its employees warning them about further protests, he adds.

Because the Revolutionary Cells have threatened more attacks on employees' homes, Chiron has increased security for its 2,000 employees at their homes as well as on its campus, which consists of about 20 buildings.

HLS became the focus of attacks by animal-rights groups after a British news program in 1998 alleged animal mistreatment at the company's laboratories in England. Animal-rights activists claimed credit for forcing HLS to move its headquarters to New Jersey in 2001, after they pressured European bankers and other financial partners to withdraw support. Gallagher says Chiron does not plan to break off its relationship with HLS, although they have no current contracts.

The attack on Chiron may be part of a new trend, says FBI agent LaRae Quy. “In the past few weeks we've seen a cluster of activity from ecosystems-rights groups in general—from burning Humvees at a dealership in Southern California to the attacks on Chiron,” Quy says.

In early August, the Animal Liberation Front took credit for releasing 10,000 minks from a farm in Sultan, Washington. In July, activists protesting the handling of geese during foie gras production vandalized the home and restaurant of a chef that serves the delicacy. But Quy says this may be the first time a biotechnology company in the US has been the target of a bomb attack.