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Ongoing investigation of University of Minnesota ALF Action

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By Brian Carnell

Monday, July 5, 1999

Animal rights activists were up in arms after a grand jury investigating the sabotage carried out at the University of Minnesota recently called the student who claimed to be an Animal Liberation Front Press Office Spokesman. On May 5, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the home of Kevin Kjonaas and searched the house for two hours.

Two days later Kjonaas was subpoenaed and testified before the grand jury on June 14. The Minnesota legislature briefly included a provision in an anti-animal rights terrorism bill that would have penalized those who acted as spokespersons for terrorist organizations, but the provision was removed from the final law that Gov. Jesse Ventura recently signed.

Many activists were up in arms at the raid and the subpoena, but it shouldn't be too surprising that someone who claims knowledge of a crime apparently obtained in some manner from the perpetrators of the crime would be investigated as a possible suspect. For example another former ALF "spokesperson," Rodney Coronado, had a habit of taking part in the crimes for which he later claimed to serve only as a spokesperson.