ALF claims theft of police files

(First Edition)

Animal liberation activists may have been behind a break-in at the headquarters of Lothian and Borders Police, in which files were stolen. A spokesman yesterday refused to comment on claims that records on Irish and Scottish terrorist organisations had been taken in the Edinburgh burglary.

The force could not confirm whether the Animal Liberation Front was responsible. A claim that the ALF had carried out the break-in was made in a telephone call to a newspaper.

The caller said that the raiders had evaded security systems and escaped with dossiers on an ALF fire-bomb campaign in Scotland last year, and confidential documents on Scottish and Irish terror groups.

The police spokesman said 'no definite connection with the Animal Liberation Front has been established'.