ALF candidly acknowledges that in its quest to force "animal abuse companies" out of business, it takes "illegal actions . . . to bring about animal liberation." Adds ALF, "These are usually one of two things: rescuing animals from laboratories or other places of abuse, or inflicting economic damage on animal abusers." In ALF's lexicon, "rescuing" (which the group also calls "liberating") means stealing, and "inflicting economic damage" means destroying physical property. Because these activities are illegal, ALF activists work anonymously, generally in cells of two to five people but sometimes alone. ALF has no formal hierarchy, central organization, leaders, newsletter, or official membership rolls. "Anyone who carries out direct action according to ALF guidelines," its website explains, "is a member of the ALF." The lone lifestyle stipulation is that in order to be recognized and supported by ALF, an individual must be either a vegetarian or a vegan; meat-eaters, by definition, violate ALF's premise that animals ought not be "exploited" as sources of food. It is believed that in North America and the United Kingdom, ALF's most militant members are young adults from middle-class backgrounds.

Whenever an individual commits an act of theft or vandalism in the name of ALF, he or she publicizes the incident by contacting one of the ALF press officers or posting notice of his or her action on the ALF website. ALF's press office in the United States is run by Dr. Steven Best, a tenured professor and chairman of the philosophy department at the University of Texas El Paso. The group's UK press officer is Robin Webb, formerly a director of Animal Aid and a ruling council member of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Notwithstanding ALF's lack of formal organization, the group has established the Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group (ALFSG) to provide moral and financial support to animal rights activists incarcerated for their illegal deeds. Originally established in England, the ALFSG now has independent branches in several countries.

ALF has its historical roots in the Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA), an organization whose members try to save animals from hunters by laying false scents and blowing hunting horns to send hunters' hounds running in the wrong direction. Other members disable animal traps and set off smoke bombs to disrupt hunting activities; some go so far as to become human shields, placing themselves between hunters and the animals they are tracking.

In 1972, HSA activists Ronnie Lee and Cliff Goodman broke away from this organization and created a more militant group called the Band of Mercy, whose members slashed the tires and broke the windows of hunters' vehicles. They also took part in such radical actions as vandalizing pharmaceutical laboratories and attacking seal-hunting boats. In 1974 Lee and Goodman firebombed a vivisection research center in England; both men served a year in prison for this act. After his apprehension, Lee proudly explained that he had participated in the firebombing to "prevent the torture and murder of our animal brothers and sisters." Implicit in his statement is a key tenet of the radical animal-rights movement: human life is no more inherently valuable than non-human life; all living creatures are "siblings" of equal worth, possessing an equivalent right to freedom and self-determination. Following his release from prison, Lee was more militant than ever. He organized a new liberation campaign composed of thirty activists, and in 1976 he named his project the Animal Liberation Front.

The precise date of ALF's first American action is impossible to pinpoint, but one of the earliest was a 1979 incident where vandals broke into the New York University Medical School and released (or "liberated") five animals slated for experimental use. During the ensuing years, hundreds of similar "liberations" would take place. Among the animals that ALF activists have released from research facilities are dolphins, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and monkeys.

In 1993 the Departments of Justice and Agriculture issued a report to Congress on the "effects of terrorism on enterprises which use animals," naming ALF as the most significant "radical fringe" animal rights group in the United States. The report stated that between 1979 and 1993, more than 300 incidents of break-ins, vandalism, arson and thefts had been committed in the name of animal rights nationwide. After some ALF members perpetrated a horrific arson (causing $3.5 million in damages) at a veterinary lab in California in 1987, the FBI officially added ALF to its list of domestic terrorist organizations.

Also among ALF's notable crimes over the years was a 1992 firebombing at an animal research laboratory at Michigan State University. Animal rights activist Rod Coronado (a former member of the Vancouver-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which sank numerous fishing vessels in an effort to protect marine mammals) was convicted for his role in this incident and served three-and-a-half years in prison. In an interview with a Michigan State University newspaper, a defiant Coronado stated, "I wish I could do it again. I have absolutely no regrets, and I hope the same thing continues."

In another incident at the University of Iowa, ALF members destroyed laboratory equipment, stole animals, destroyed research papers, and threatened school employees. In August 1998, ALF claimed responsibility for releasing into the wild up to 6,000 minks from a mink farm in Ringwood, England. Five years later, ALF activists released another 10,000 mink from a mink farm in Washington State.

According to the FBI, between 1995 and 2005 ALF committed some 700 criminal acts. These were not limited solely to acts of sabotage, vandalism, and "liberation." In one incident, for example, ALF activists broke into a car belonging to a pharmaceutical executive's wife, stole her credit cards and used them to charge $20,000 in charitable "donations."

Between 1997 and 2003, ALF reportedly caused, in conjunction with the radical environmentalist Earth Liberation Front (which is, like ALF, one of America's two foremost domestic terror organizations), approximately $43 million in property damage. The two groups have conducted numerous direct actions jointly. In testimony given in 2004, John E. Lewis, deputy assistant director of the counterterrorism division, stated that according to the FBI, in the past ten years groups like ALF and ELF had engaged in more than 1,000 criminal acts and had caused more than $100 million in damage. (Source: "F.B.I. Watched Activist Groups, New Files Show," The New York Times, December 20, 2005)

To educate animal-rights devotees in its methods and philosophy, ALF has produced a publication titled The ALF Primer, "dedicated to the brave men and women of the Animal Liberation Front." "In this age of insanity," the Primer tells its readers, "you may be branded a terrorist, but you will one day be remembered as a selfless warrior who dared to fight for what is right."

The ALF Primer teaches aspiring activists how to most effectively carry out their illegal deeds, advising them, for instance, to conduct "direct actions" in a variety of different locations ("repeatedly working close to home can be a tip off to police") and at irregular time intervals ("if the police establish your pattern its [sic] one more thing they can use to catch you"). The Primer further gives suggestions on how ALF activists can complete their missions of liberation or sabotage without being detected: "Wear nothing with identifiable markings. . . . Any tattoos should be covered, any piercing covered or removed. You want to wear dark colors, but all black can look suspicious, so just keep it dark but not unusual. Ski masks are commonly employed during direct action, but be ready to ditch them if need be -- they can be quite incriminating, especially on a summer night. A hooded sweatshirt, a baseball cap, and a scarf are a better idea in some locations. On high risk operations you may want to get some oversized shoes from a thrift shop to avoid leaving tell tale [sic] footprints. . . . Wearing socks over your shoes or covering the soles in duct tape also works well against footprints. . . . Always wear gloves and be mindful of fingerprints."

In anticipation of the possibility that ALF vandals might be spotted and questioned by law-enforcement authorities, the Primer emphatically advises: "Always have a story set if stopped by the police. Know where it is you will say you are coming from and going to." In other words, it counsels members to lie to the police. "The general rule in dealing with police is to say nothing," says the Primer. "Keep in mind that these people [police] go to school to learn how to trick you into incriminating yourself and others. They are also avid liars, and will say anything to try to trick you. . . . The same holds true for speaking to federal agents and when called to testify at a grand jury. . . . Resist, resist, resist."

Following the adage that one success breeds further successes, the Primer advises budding animal-rights activists: "Start small, then move on to bigger things. Even the simplest actions take practice to get right, so try one thing at a time until you've gotten it down. Once you've mastered the small things, use them in combination to really ruin an abusers [sic] day. Think about possibilities of combining breaking windows and paint bombs for instance."

"Windows," the Primer explains, "are probably the easiest target available in most situations, yet large windows can cost hundreds, making them an ideal target." For this purpose, the publication recommends the use of glass etching fluid (hydrofluoric acid), a liquid or cream that eats through the surface of glass, as "a quick and relatively safe way to cause some financial damage." It also suggests the simple smashing of windows with rocks, bricks, BB guns, or hammers. Another recommended method is the use of sling shots. These, explains the Primer, "are available in many sporting stores. You may have to patronize a store that sells hunting equipment to find one, but you can always offset this by returning at a later date and smashing their windows in turn." The Primer points out that one advantage of sling shots is that they "can even be effective from moving cars." It adds that the best time to carry out such noise-producing methods of vandalism is a stormy night, when "the lack of visibility and [the] noise of the storm provid[e] excellent cover." The Primer also endorses the use of glass glue, which permanently sticks glass to glass, as an agent of window vandalism: "Attaching a piece of glass with a slogan painted on the inside will require them to replace the whole window."

In addition, The ALF Primer proposes that activists vandalize automobiles belonging to people employed in one of the areas of animal "exploitation" enumerated in the first paragraph of this profile. Calling motor vehicles "easy target[s]," the Primer explains: "Tires can be slashed. An ice pick, sharp knife, or anything of that sort will work. Tires, especially on trucks, are tougher than they seem, so use something thick and strong that wont [sic] break or bend. Putting a hole in the side wall will make it impossible to repair. A pair of pillars [sic, pliers] can also be used to yank out the stem (the thing you put air in through), which will also flatten the tire. A large screwdriver can damage a radiator by punching holes in it through the grill. If you cant [sic] get to the engine, you can cut wires and break various components. If you cant [sic] get to the engine, you can also cut what you can from underneath. Bring something heavy-duty like small bolt cutters, as regular wire cutters wont be able to handle metal cables and such. Either paint or paint stripper can do some damage to the paint job. Windshield wipers can be broke [sic] off, headlights and windshields smashed or painted with etching fluid, and locks glued."

Beyond causing physical damage to the vehicle's exterior or to a component part such as a radiator, ALF also instructs its members on how to render an automobile completely unusable and, in most cases, irreparable: "The stereotypical sabotage technique is sugar in the gas tank. This will merely block the filter, and do little damage. More effective fuel tank additives are sand or 10 to 15 mothballs. . . . The best sabotage target is the lubricating system. If incapacitated, it will cause the engine to overheat, bind, and generally destroy itself. . . . One option for major damage is to carefully remove the oil, either by punching a hole in the oil pan, or removing the drain plug. Adding water to the oil is more effective, since it will not lubricate, but will keep the oil pressure up, keeping a warning light from coming on. Better than water is diesel or gasoline, as it will also break down existing oil. For maximum effect, look to adding abrasives to the lubricating system. . . . Other options for sabotage include dropping plaster of paris or a handful of BB's into the carburetor. A box of quick rice in the radiator will expand as the vehicle runs and clog the works. A pound of salt or some Drano will eat away the copper tubing of a radiator."

The ALF Primer explains that "one of the quickest, easiest, and safest forms of direct action" is to insert glue into the locks on the doors of offending business establishments (butchers, restaurants, laboratories, etc.) - a procedure for which it gives detailed instructions - for the purpose of temporarily disrupting business activities and forcing the proprietors to pay locksmith expenses. It also recommends such schemes as: (a) spraying or splashing paint on the wood, metal, or stone exteriors of an alleged animal exploiter's place of business; (b) tying a weight to a strong rope, tossing it over the telephone line of the targeted business, and pulling it until the wire breaks; and (c) using the bathroom of a fast-food restaurant and clogging the toilet with a sponge. "If it [the sponge] gets deep into the pipes," says the Primer, ". . . this can turn into a very expensive problem. . . . A mixture of plaster and sawdust in a nylon stocking is another method."

The ALF Primer further suggests that activists can effectively derail major construction projects of "abusive institution[s]" such as laboratories, steak houses, or leather shops. "During construction," the Primer notes, "survey stakes (wooden stakes with colored ribbons tied to the top) are used to mark such things as corners, water and sewer lines, and elevation. Simply removing these stakes and disguising the holes will cost a few days work. . . .  More effective than removing stakes may be to move them just slightly. Although it may seem minor, removing survey stakes is considered a relatively major crime, so use the usual security precautions."

The Primer goes on to explain that saboteurs - by secretly mixing large amounts of salt, which greatly weakens concrete, into cement bags or sand piles reserved for making concrete on construction projects - can weaken foundations and other structures to the point where they are so unstable that they must be redone completely. The publication instructs those who choose this method of sabotage to "[l]eave a note that you have damaged the cement so that people don't get hurt. Make certain the note is received." This is consistent with ALF's formal guideline stating that activist members should "take all necessary precautions against harming any animal, human and non-human" - an exhortation whose wording is founded on the premise that people are of no greater inherent value than any other living beings.

"After the foundation is poured," the Primer continues, "connections for plumbing, especially sewage, are exposed. There [sic] are often covered in duct tape to avoid objects being dropped inside. If the duct tape were to be carefully removed and clogging elements such as concrete, epoxy, or plaster were dropped down the pipes and the tape was carefully put back in place it could cause major problems if not realized until the building is completed. After drywall is put up electrical wiring is put in. Once sheet-rock or other wallboard is hung this wiring is very hard to get to. After drywall is erected, wiring can be cut in inconspicuous places like behind studs, and then taped or glued into position. Hopefully this will keep the cuts from being noticed until after sheet-rock is hung."

The ALF Primer, which teaches readers how to make incendiary devices, calls arson "by far the most potent weapon of direct action." Sometimes the objective of arson is to damage or destroy an entire building. In other cases the goal is to create only a small fire "meant to give off heat, thus setting off a buildings sprinkler system, doing water damage to merchandise." "If using this method," the Primer counsels, "you should be using timed devices, set to go off at night when nobody is around. . . . Placing the device on the top floor is best, since the water from the sprinklers will then ideally run down to the other floors, doing damage on each."