Women’s Rights Activist Suspects Nationwide Plot

Why Norfolk?

Why would a man drive 562 miles from Boston to Norfolk, bypassing dozens of abortion clinics along the way, to fire shots at a storefront clinic here?

One national leader in the abortion-rights movement believes John C. Salvi III was drawn to Norfolk because of its high profile among anti-abortion activists.

“We believe there is a loose network out there pursuing a murder strategy,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority in Washington and former president of the National Organization for Women.

“I’m just hoping that more people ask why would a man have shot and killed people in Massachusetts, get in a car, travel to Norfolk, Va., and just happen to pick out a clinic that has been heavily targeted by people advocating justifiable homicide.”

“There’s got to be some com munication nerve center that directed him to this clinic that has been firebombed and arsoned and had so many other problems,” Smeal said.

Smeal’s concern now is that authorities will assume Salvi acted alone, and will halt any search for additional conspirators.

But federal law officials announced Friday that a four-month investigation has uncovered no solid evidence of a nationwide plot against clinic workers.