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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Federal Agents See No Link Between Black Church Fires

Washington Post

Federal law enforcement officials said Tuesday that they have found no evidence of a widespread conspiracy linking dozens of arsons and cases of vandalism in black churches across the South, although some incidents appear related and others have been traced to members of white supremacist groups.

Speaking at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, officials from the Justice and Treasury departments said investigation of the suspicious church fires is a high priority. According to Justice Department figures, there have been 28 arson attacks on African American churches, mainly in the South, in the past 17 months. Civil rights groups say as many as 45 black churches have been attacked since 1990.

“The numbers are chilling,” said Deval L. Patrick, assistant attorney general for civil rights. “We are facing an epidemic of terror.”

Many black community leaders have been critical of the pace and intensity of the effort.

“Is it any wonder that we are outraged that law enforcement agencies insist on denying the racist nature of these attacks on the soul of the black community - our churches?” said the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, at Tuesday’s hearing.