Firebombs found at Oxford college

Oxford University yesterday foiled an arson attempt after animal rights extremists boasted about a proposed attack on the internet.

Forensic officers this afternoon examined four large plastic containers filled with a liquid - believed to be petrol - and bags full of a pink material, discovered at temporary outbuildings in Templeton College, part of the University of Oxford.

University security services found two "incendiary devices" after a claim was posted on the Biteback website by people claiming to represent the Animal Liberation Front.

The "anonymous communique" boasted of an arson attack on the college on February 18, but was not posted until last weekend.

As soon as university staff found the devices they contacted police, and officers this morning cordoned off the Kennington College while bomb disposal teams worked to make the area safe.

A university spokeswoman said she could not speculate as to whether the devices had lain undiscovered since February 18 or had been planted more recently.

University staff and delegates attending a conference at the Graduate College were evacuated following the report to police at just before noon today. They were allowed to return and collect their cars just before 4pm.

A Thames Valley Police spokeswoman said officers specialising in animal rights activity were dealing with the incident but stressed that "this is only one line on inquiry".

But the Biteback website claimed that "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 spokeswoman for the university said: "Obviously we have been very vigilant in recent months especially after the recent letter bombings. The university has its own security services who alerted the college when they discovered the posting on the website.

"We have increased security in recent times but obviously staff and students need access to university buildings and nobody would like us to make them into a fortress."

She said that those using Oxford University premises had all been made aware of the need for increased vigilance.

The university has been targeted on a number of occasions by those protesting against animal research. The most recent incident, before today's targeting of Templeton College, took place at Queen's College when the sports pavilion roof was set on fire by arsonists in December last year.