The Symbionese Liberation Army was an American group that considered itself a revolutionary vanguard army and was a proponent of radical leftist ideology. Members of the group were accused of committing murders , bank robberies , and acts of violence between 1973 and 1975 . Even though they never had more than 13 members, they became the top ongoing media story during their underground fugitive period. More than anything else, this was generated by their spectacular kidnapping of wealthy media heiress Patty Hearst , making them household names. Even more news worthy were later developments in which Hearst seemed to become more and more sympathetic with the aims of the SLA and eventually joined the group, taking part in their illegal activities, including bank robberies.