Committee for Liquidation or Subversion of Computers (; CLODO being a slang word for the homeless) was a French neo-Luddite anarchist organization that attacked computer and telecommunications companies in the early 1980s. The group was motivated by concerns over the growing ubiquity of telecommunications and potential misuse of computers by governments to strip freedoms from the general population. CLODO's targets were mainly located in Toulouse, France. CLODO carried out attacks in 1980 and 1983 with a two-year hiatus in-between; targets included: CII Honeywell Bull, International Computers Limited, and Sperry.
The group released a manifesto in 1983 and has been classified as inactive by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism since their final attack in December 1983. The 2022 experimental documentary Machines in Flames details CLODO's activities and ideologies. None of its members have been identified to date.
Name
The initialism 'CLODO', ( or Committee for Liquidation or Subversion of Computers) is also a slang term for 'bum' or 'homeless' in French. CLODO would infrequently use the names and as well. The term "détournement" refers to a strategic appropriation of a popular symbol, giving it a new meaning. The use of the term "clodo" as an initialism is believed to be an intentional act of "self-irony" and followed a larger trend of anarchist groups using humorous names and acronyms.
History
CLODO began in 1980 in protest against increasing computerized surveillance by national governments and fears of increased oppression as computerization advanced. The first major attacks by CLODO occurred in April 1980: a sabotage and robbery against Philips Data Systems, and a bombing against CII Honeywell Bull's office in Toulouse. In May 1980, CLODO perpetrated an arson attack against International Computers Limited. It was estimated that 1 million francs in damage was caused by the fire, and phrases such as "No to big brother in Ireland" (Protesting British control of Northern Ireland), "No to information cop", and "1984" (in reference to the 1949 book by George Orwell) were found written in charcoal on the walls. In August 1980, CLODO carried out two failed attacks against CII Honeywell Bull's office in Louveciennes. The first attack involved a 5 kg explosive that failed due to a faulty detonator and the second attempt was defused prior to detonation. In September 1980, CLODO carried out an explosive attack against AP-SOGETI. In December 1980, CLODO claimed responsibility for an arson attack against a Paris Insurance Union (now named Axa) office in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Following this, CLODO entered a period of inactivity and would not claim any attacks during 1981 and 1982.
In March 1981, an IBM computer terminal at the Banque Populaire building in Toulouse was vandalized. While CLODO did not claim the attack, the newspaper Le Matin de Paris stated the attack was "reminiscent of the habits and customs of the deceased CLODO". A 1998 investigation of CLODO in Notes & études de l'Institut de criminologie de Paris did not attribute this attack to them.
Following two years of inactivity, in January 1983, CLODO returned, detonating three explosive charges at the Computer Center of the Prefecture of Haute-Garonne. This resulted in 30 million francs in damages. That same month, police raided the radio station hosting , believing that CLODO's members were present. Five suspects were arrested during the raid but none were determined to be credibly connected to CLODO. Following the raid, the newspaper Libération described CLODO's actions as "gentle violence" and “terrorism without terror”, citing that no one had been seriously hurt or killed during CLODO's attacks.