CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally 338(10-31-71B){150} Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470
June 11, 1997
by United Methodist News Service
On the first anniversary of the creation of a National Church Arson Task Force, its co-chairman reported that 429 incidents of arson, bombing and attempted bombings at churches had been investigated and nearly 200 arrests had been made.
"While we have made significant progress, the work of the task force is far from over," Assistant Treasury Secretary James Johnson told a June 10 news conference in Washington..
"Fires at houses of worship continue. Arrests continue to be made. And defendants continue to be prosecuted and convicted," Johnson said..
However, he reported that the number of fires that ravaged churches attended by both blacks and whites had "fallen dramatically" since President Clinton established the task force in June 1996..
The group, which coordinates the efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement, includes officials from the Justice Department, the Treasury, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other agencies..
The task force's report said there was no evidence of a nationwide conspiracy and that motives ranged from racial hatred to vandalism to revenge..
This year investigators opened 82 investigations into arsons, bombings or attempted bombings. Nineteen involved predominantly black churches and 63 involved other houses of worship..
In 1996 there were 198 incidents involving 117 black churches and 181 other houses of worship..
Of the 199 people arrested, 160 were white, 34 black and five Hispanic. Eighty-three were juveniles. Of the 81 suspects arrested for arsons at black churches, 55 were white, 25 black, and one Hispanic..
"Many of the fires were committed, we believe, by individuals acting alone," Johnson said. "We have not seen hard evidence that would support the theory that there is a nationwide conspiracy behind these fires."
The report notes that 25 houses of worship have been rebuilt and another 65 are under construction as a result of joint efforts of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Council of Churches (NCC), the Congress of National Black Churches, Habitat for Humanity and other groups..
The news conference here came at the beginning of a three-day convocation of pastors of burned churches and denominational leaders from across the country..
Following the initial emphasis on rebuilding, the NCC is now taking the lead in helping communities address issues of racial justice. The second-phase plan, known as the National Religious Partnership for Racial Justice" calls for cooperation on public advocacy issues. The stated goal of the partnership calls for creating communities "where burning any house of worship is intolerable and universally condemned."
United Methodists wishing to make a contribution to help rebuild the burned churches may send a gift through their local church, designated for "Church Burnings," Advance No. 982700-1
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