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Agents raid activists homes arson probe { August 20 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20030820-9999_1m20elf.htmlhttp://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20030820-9999_1m20elf.html
Agents raid activists' home in arson probe
By Joe Hughes
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
August 20, 2003
A Joint Terrorism Task Force investigating a deliberately set fire that gutted a five-story residential complex under construction in University City has raided the North Park home of two animal rights activists, the FBI said yesterday.
Damage in the Aug. 1 fire has been put at $50 million.
Jan Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the FBI's San Diego office, said the raid involving agents with the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took place Thursday, but declined to comment further.
She said affidavits supporting the search warrants that authorized the raids remain under seal.
David Agranoff, one of the targets of the raid, told The Associated Press about a dozen agents spent three hours searching his home, leaving with a computer, documents, protest fliers, a video camera and videotapes.
In May, Agranoff was forced to submit hair, saliva and fingerprints during a grand jury probe into an arson case at an Indiana poultry plant, the AP reported.
Agranoff, 29, and his finance, Cari Beltane, run Compassion for Farm Animals from their home. He told the AP he was not involved in the fire and said the raid left his home trashed.
Agranoff said federal agents were seeking a videotape of activist Rodney Coronado's talk in Hillcrest on militant activism the day of the fire. Agranoff said he arranged the lecture.
Coronado served four years in federal prison for setting a blaze at an animal research center in Michigan in 1992. He has identified himself as a spokesman for the Earth Liberation Front, which is being targeted in the University City arson probe.
A banner reading, "If you build it, we will burn it," with the initials "E.L.F." was found at the site the morning of the fire.
An e-mail from the group to The San Diego Union-Tribune the day of the fire said the banner "is a legitimate claim of responsibility by the Earth Liberation Front. An e-mail sent to the paper this week went further, saying the action by the ELF was "meant to target rampant urban development, and make a statement against future development."
Authorities also have contacted a University City restaurant manager who lives near the gutted development. Richard Marose, 41, told the Union-Tribune the fire was a "positive statement that at least someone somewhere is trying to point out that the overdevelopment is clogging our already congested urban areas."
Marose said ATF agents reached him at home three days after the fire. He refused to talk to them and said he had nothing to do with the fire.
Marose yesterday said agents later contacted his employer and friends seeking more information on him.
Anyone with information about the fire can call the FBI at (858) 565-1155 or Crime Stoppers toll-free at (888) 580-8477.
Joe Hughes: (619) 542-4591; joe.hughes@uniontrib.com
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