Back to Search ResultsIncident Summary:
10/27/1999: Six booby-trapped letters laced with razor blades ( similar to those sent to Harvard University researchers)were intercepted at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center housed at the Woodruff Health Sciences Center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. 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 communiqué claiming the incident was posted on both The Justice Department's website as well as that of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). 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 sent out on October 25.Overview
GTD ID:
199910270005
When:
1999-10-27
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Georgia
City:
Atlanta
Location Details:
The incident occurred at the Woodruff Health Sciences Center at Emory University
What
| Target Type: Educational Institution | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name of Entity | Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center at Emory University | ||
| Specific Description | six researchers at Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta, GA | ||
| 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. Though most sources state that 80 letters were sent out, the group claimed it was over 80 letters, and some sources note as many as 87 letters. |
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
| "Six pieces of booby-trapped mail intercepted at Emory animal research center," Associated Press State & Local Wire, 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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