Animal rights protestors plant firebombs at Oxford college

Two incendiary bombs were found in an annexe of Templeton College, forcing the evacuation of dozens of staff and students.

An extremist Internet bulletin board, which acts on behalf of the Animal Liberation Front, claimed responsibility for the devices.

Both failed to explode but are the latest in a wave of attacks on the university which refuses to end animal testing in its laboratories.

In February last year a 16-year-old schoolboy, Laurie Pycroft, formed Pro Test, a group speaking out in favour of vivisection at the university.

Central to the controversy has been the construction of a vast new £20 million animal research laboratory. This has led to anyone connected to the university becoming a 'legitimate' target for the fanatics.

A posting on the BiteBack website said the attack was carried out on February 18.

It read: "This latest action is part of an ongoing fight against the University of Oxford and its continued reign of terror over the unseen victims inside its animal labs."

A spokesman for Oxford University said: "Two unexploded incendiary devices were found at around 11.50am. The small devices were found under a little used annexe at the college.

"About 100 people, including staff and students who were studying there at the time, were safely evacuated."

Templeton College educates adults, mostly working business professionals and not undergraduates.

The college, based at Oxford University's Egrove Park campus around three miles from the city centre, describes itself as Oxford's specialist graduate college in Management Studies.

Since Oxford resumed building work on its controversial new laboratory complex in November 2005, animal rights protesters have vowed that any part of its sprawling campus is under threat.

Work on the biomedical facility had been halted in July 2004 after a sustained campaign of protest from animal rights groups.

The building contractor, Walter Lilly & Co, said its staff had been subjected to threats and intimidation.

After a series of High Court actions, protesters are now banned from demonstrating near the home of anyone linked to the construction project or the university.

The huge security bill is being partially funded by the Home Office. Prime Minister Tony Blair last year signed a petition in favour of animal testing.

Last week animal rights activists released a call for action against staff members of the university, along with the disclosure of personal details of 40 people linked to animal testing or the building of the laboratory.

Activists were told that they had "nothing to lose and everything to gain by hitting these targets hard".

The call to arms was signed under the name of the Animal Liberation Front, and forwarded by Bite Back.