New Informant & Grand Jury Subpoena in Santa Cruz Arson Investigation

Just a heads-up that there are two developments in the investigation into arsons at the homes of two UC-Santa Cruz researchers.

1) A woman named Otessa Crandell is reported to be cooperating with the investigation and providing information to the FBI. She is said to be giving information including "names and contact info of Santa Cruz activists around the time of the arsons."

2) Another person has been ordered to appear before a grand jury investigating the fires. The name of the person has not been released, but it is known that he lives in Seattle. According to the report I received, he was subpoenaed once, and then because of a technicality, was required to be subpoenaed a second time. The FBI has since been unable to locate him to serve the second subpoena.

To date, at least four others (six total) are known to have been subpoenaed to the grand jury.

The arsons were not claimed by the Animal Liberation Front, or any animal liberation group. One of the targets is not even believed to do research on animals, and all attempts to link these incidents to animal liberationists have come entirely from the FBI and pro-animal research groups.

More information will be posted as soon as it available.