FBI hunts church arsonists
By Harry Mount
(Filed: 09/02/2006)

The FBI and local sheriffs were yesterday investigating a string of arson attacks - nine in less than a week - on Baptist churches in rural Alabama.

Four churches with black congregations in western Alabama have been damaged or destroyed only days after five in the centre of the state, with mostly white congregations, were set on fire. The second group of churches attacked were all within an hour of each other on small, out of the way roads.

The authorities are following up reports of a car with two white men in it seen near the scene of both waves of attacks.

All have followed the same pattern, with an apparent break-in followed by a fire set inside the church. the rest