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Fires reported at 4 more Ala. churches
AP ^ | 2/7/06 | AP

Posted on 02/07/2006 7:24:51 AM PST by lunarbicep

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Fires damaged three more rural churches in Alabama following rash of suspected arsons that burned five churches south of Birmingham last week, a state official said Tuesday.

Ragan Ingram, a spokesman for the state insurance agency that oversees fire investigations, said the fires were at a church near Aliceville in Pickens County, near Emelle in Sumter Country and near Boligee in Greene County.

He said the extent of damage was not immediately known and it wasn't immediately clear when the three churches burned. State and federal fire investigators were sent to the scenes, he said.

"Obviously we're going to investigate these as suspected arsons," Ingram said.

Early Friday, three rural Baptist churches were destroyed and two others were damaged along major roads in rural Bibb County, about 25 miles south of Birmingham. The three fires reported Tuesday were in neighboring and sparsely populated counties in west Alabama near the Mississippi line.

Ingram said that in the past five years there have been 58 church fires in Alabama, including the three reported Tuesday. He said 19 were ruled arsons.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Miscellaneous; US: Alabama
KEYWORDS: arson; churchburning
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1 posted on 02/07/2006 7:24:52 AM PST by lunarbicep
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To: lunarbicep

Didn't you hear? It's perfectly okay as long as they're white churches that spread intolerance.


2 posted on 02/07/2006 7:27:15 AM PST by The Old Hoosier (Right makes might.)
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To: lunarbicep

Maybe Muslim cartoonists?............


3 posted on 02/07/2006 7:29:04 AM PST by Red Badger (...I will bless them that bless thee and those who curse thee I will turn into Liberals..........)
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To: lunarbicep

So no arrests in the previous church burnings? Bet if these were mosques going up in flames, they'd take it more seriously.


4 posted on 02/07/2006 7:31:40 AM PST by mlc9852
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To: Red Badger

I was thinking the same thing...especially since the authorities have opened a civil rights investigation...remember 5 of the 6 Churches were predominantly white.


5 posted on 02/07/2006 7:32:19 AM PST by milford421
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To: mlc9852

I'm not so sure about that. I suspect that the majority of the folks involved in the arson investigations are Baptists themselves, as over 50% of Alabamians are Baptist.


6 posted on 02/07/2006 7:34:51 AM PST by Quilla
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To: milford421

....and they were ALL Christian........Not many synagogues is rural Alabama.........I'm thinking Nation of Islam or some offshoot........


7 posted on 02/07/2006 7:34:54 AM PST by Red Badger (...I will bless them that bless thee and those who curse thee I will turn into Liberals..........)
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To: Red Badger

Could just be atheists. It's an ELF style operation, so I'm guessing that's what we're dealing with.


8 posted on 02/07/2006 7:39:10 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: Red Badger

Yes they were. Makes sense and time will (hopefully) tell. Judgin by current events in the world regarding the cartoon rage, (Churches attacked in Beirut, Catholic Priest shot dead by ROP in Turkey, 3 people killed for being Christian, Pakistani Christians attacked and killed), ROP'ers would be on the list of suspects.


9 posted on 02/07/2006 7:39:34 AM PST by milford421
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To: lunarbicep
PEr WSFA TV MOntgomery, AL -

FBI and ATF have issued a BOLO for a Dark SUV, most likely a Nissan Pathfinder, seen in the vacinity of the church fires Thursday night. They are also asking all Central Alabama businesses to report all employees who failed to report for work or reported for work drunk or Hung over Friday morning.

10 posted on 02/07/2006 7:43:27 AM PST by commish (Freedom Tastes Sweetest to Those Who Have Fought to Preserve It)
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To: lunarbicep
Definately a hate crime, where is the FBI?
11 posted on 02/07/2006 7:44:18 AM PST by SR 50 (Larry)
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To: mlc9852

Oh, please.


12 posted on 02/07/2006 7:44:29 AM PST by r9etb
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To: Red Badger
I'm thinking Nation of Islam or some offshoot........

I doubt it. This sounds like "disaffected youth" stuff.

13 posted on 02/07/2006 7:45:31 AM PST by r9etb
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To: mlc9852
So no arrests in the previous church burnings? Bet if these were mosques going up in flames, they'd take it more seriously.

Actually the investigation down here is quite extensive and involves local LE, Alabama Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and ATF. I am in Montgomery, 70 miles south of the burnings, and we had an agent at our church this weekend (Southern Baptist church). They are also all over the news and radio down here with updates and asking for assistance, etc.

14 posted on 02/07/2006 7:46:24 AM PST by commish (Freedom Tastes Sweetest to Those Who Have Fought to Preserve It)
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To: r9etb; commish
This does "sound like disaffected youth" at work. Although, from commish's above post -

They are also asking all Central Alabama businesses to report all employees who failed to report for work or reported for work drunk or Hung over Friday morning.

- LEO are leaning toward disaffected, employed drunks.

15 posted on 02/07/2006 7:50:54 AM PST by Quilla
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To: Red Badger

Exactly. It is probably the work of members of the Religion of Peace. Exercising their right to burn and pillage. Probably saw a cartoon somewhere which offended them. Any old excuse to destroy.



16 posted on 02/07/2006 7:53:26 AM PST by i_dont_chat
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To: Red Badger

I'd bet that way. Your usual jjihadist would draw attention. If it turns out to be NOI, file RICO charges against Calypso Louie..


17 posted on 02/07/2006 7:54:06 AM PST by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: milford421
...ROP'ers would be on the list of suspects.

Just speculating and throwing one reason why ROP'ers might be involved...they've promised to hit the heartland.

I don't know if Alabama is part of the "heartland," so to speak (more like "Bible Belt," I think) but ROP'ers have threatened soft targets which, of course, a church would be.

Wonder if the profile also includes teenagers and, to me, the most odd of all...firemen who set fires in order to put them out.
18 posted on 02/07/2006 7:55:19 AM PST by hummingbird (And, yes, I am wearing my Notre Dame T-Shirt today!)
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To: r9etb
...I doubt it. This sounds like "disaffected youth" stuff.

Insurgents........

19 posted on 02/07/2006 7:55:55 AM PST by Red Badger (...I will bless them that bless thee and those who curse thee I will turn into Liberals..........)
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To: hummingbird

Alabama - The Heart of DIXIE!.........


20 posted on 02/07/2006 7:56:27 AM PST by Red Badger (...I will bless them that bless thee and those who curse thee I will turn into Liberals..........)
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