Otpor Bombing in California
The following intelligence report from the US Secret Service (charged with guarding the president) describes a pair of bombings in San Pedro, California. The victims were two Croatian business owners; the (at this point, suspected) assailants were members of the terrorist organization founded by Ustase concentration camp commandant Vjekoslav "Maks" Luburic, Otpor. The bombing herein was among the charges leveled in the Second Otpor RICO Trial two years later, and the defendants were found guilty.

 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE

 

ORIGIN: Field
OFFICE: Los Angeles, California
CASE NO.: X-ODN-06056, I80-56,398, I80-56,399

TYPE OF CASE: Intelligence
STATUS: Closed - Los Angeles
INVESTIGATION MADE BY: Los Angeles, Calif.
PERIOD COVERED: 6/13-19/80
INVESTIGATION MADE BY: Special Agent

TITLE OR CAPTION: Bomb Incidents, San Pedro, California

 

SYNOPSIS

On 5/25/80, two improvised explosive devices exploded in the vicinity of two nearby businesses in San Pedro, California. Both of the stores are owned by Croatian persons and the suspects in these bombings are believed to be OTPOR (ODN-06056) members, although their actual identities remain unknown and no persons/groups have taken credit for the bombings.

 

(A) INTRODUCTION

Reference is made to ID-FIB/AE TWX #495, dated 5/27/80, and to Los Angeles TWX #569, dated 6/12/80.

 

(B) DETAILS OF THE INCIDENTS

Reference is made to the attached Los Angeles PD reports #80-573289 and #80-573297.

 

(C) IDENTITIES OF PARTICIPANTS

No person(s)/group(s) have taken credit for the subject bombings; however, the placing of the two bombs in the immediate vicinity of each other and the fact that the owners of the stores are both Croatian has caused members of the Los Angeles intelligence community to strongly suspect that the persons responsible for these incidents are members of OTPOR (ODN-06056). It should be noted that the placing of the two bombs at the same time is one method of operation utilized by OTPOR in the Los Angeles district.

 

(D) DEVICES

The IED utilized in the first bombing at Ante's Restaurant is believed to have consisted to approximately three sticks of commercial dynamite. Possible parts of an alarm clock were found and it may have been the timing mechanism. No exterior container, e.g., a pipe, for this IED was located. The IED was placed in a planter under the front window of the restaurant. This IED caused extensive damage to Ante's Restaurant but only broke the windows of one adjacent business.

The second IED, which exploded at Homeowner's Discount Plumbing, is believed to have consisted of approximately six sticks of commercial dynamite. It was placed on the sidewalk in front of the store and caused extensive damage to the building and broke windows of numerous adjacent businesses.

 

(E) OTHER INVESTIGATION

OTPOR has been attempting to infiltrate the American Croatian Club in San Pedro [censored] and the club has recently been ousting suspected OTPOR members from their group. The identities of these ousted members are unknown at this time, but this action is suspected as a possible motive for the subject bombings, i.e., retaliation.

Members of the Los Angeles intelligence community who investigate Croatian terrorism have assured the writer that they will immediately notify LAFO if the bombers in these incidents are identified.

 

(F) DISPOSITION

Attached for Intelligence Division are the LAPD crime reports describing the two bombings.

Cases are closed in Los Angeles.

 

DISTRIBUTION: Intelligence Div., Los Angeles
COPIES: Oirg & 2cc 3cc DCG:afe
REPORT MADE BY: [censored] 6/23/80
APPROVED: [censored] 6/23/80

 

:: filing information ::
Title: Otpor Bombing in California
Source: US Dept of Homeland Security (Secret Service)
Date: June 23, 1980 Added: June 6, 2003