Don Currie, a 40-year-old animal rights campaigner, was jailed in December 2006 after admitting a fire-bomb campaign which targeted individuals he believed were involved in experiments on animals, often referred to as vivisection.

An extremist described as the Animal Liberation Front's leading bomber was jailed for 12 years and placed on licence for life yesterday after a bombing campaign against people he believed were associated with animal research.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6215144.stm</ref>

In what police described as a "devastating blow" to animal rights extremism, Donald Currie, 40, was told he would be subject to parole conditions for the rest of his life, even after his release from prison, such was the danger to the public.
<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1967392,00.html</ref>

Bombing campaign

The unemployed father-of-three was fiercely opposed to experiments on animals and detectives believe he was the most important bomb-maker within the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). He targeted homes of individuals connected with Huntingdon Life Sciences, a Cambridge-based animal research laboratory. <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6215144.stm</ref>

In the first of two attacks for which he was convicted, Currie targeted the home of a senior executive for GlaxoSmithKline, Paul Blackburn in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, in September 2005, placing a device made of matches, cigarettes and a bottle of white spirit on the doorstep.

On March 26th 2006, Currie attempted to bomb the car of Caroline Brooks, the sales and marketing manager of a firm called PDP Couriers, which carries out work on behalf of a subsidiary of HLS. Her family had been the subject of a "virulent campaign of harassment and intimidation", the court heard, in which her cars had been damaged and she had been sent violently abusive letters. One posting on a website which claims to speak for the ALF read: "You profit from animal testing. You are a sick, evil pervert. You filthy, animal killing scum."

On the evening of the attack, in Caversham, Reading, Ms Brooks and her partner disturbed Currie planting a device under one of their cars. He fled, and a second bomb was found abandoned in a hedge. <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1967392,00.html</ref>

A third charge involved a fire at a firm in Williton, Somerset, in May 2005, which caused £140,000 damage.

The ALF claimed responsibility for all three incidents on its website. <ref>http://www.arkangelweb.org/international/uk/20061207curriesentenced.php</ref>

Sentencing

Sentencing Currie, Judge Zoe Smith told him: "You're entitled to oppose vivisection and to change the minds of people but you can't enforce your views with violence."

She said his crimes were "vicious" and added: "It's clear that you condone the use of violence and your use of it has escalated to a higher level. You are a risk to the public." <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6215144.stm</ref>

His actions, she said, had devastated his victims and left Ms Brooks "living in a state of fear". "I am of the opinion that you pose a significant risk to the public, and I am required by law to pass a sentence for public protection." <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1967392,00.html</ref>

Michelle Thew, chief executive of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), said: "We are against animal experimentation on two grounds. Firstly it is morally indefensible and secondly on scientific grounds."

"It is outdated when there are things like stem cell research and computer modelling available."

But she said BUAV was a peaceful organisation and was "strongly opposed to the use of violence" by people like Currie."

"People using violence and intimidation are undermining our message and the reputation of the animal rights movement," she said. <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6215144.stm</ref>

See also

Animal Liberation Front (ALF)

Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group (ALFSG)

Vegan Prisoners Support Group (VPSG)

Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC)

National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit (NETCU)

Behind the Mask

From Dusk 'til Dawn

References