Bomb Blows Out Church Windows : Crime: Mormon building is again the target of violence. Arson caused $1 million damage in 1990; vandals have also broken in, painting slogans.

A pipe bomb blew out several windowpanes in a Mormon church before dawn Wednesday, but the small explosion caused no injuries and only minor damage, Los Angeles police said.

Police are investigating whether there is any connection between the bombing and several other attacks on the church in recent years, including an arson in May, 1990, that caused $1 million in damage to the building.

“We are looking into anything that might tie these things together, but at this point we don’t have any evidence that they are connected,” said Sgt. Bob Parsons, of the LAPD’s criminal conspiracy section, which investigates bombings.

Nearly four years ago, a fire set by vandals--who also apparently smeared feces inside the church--forced the building to close for 18 months, said Paul Walker, a church official. Then, about six months ago, vandals broke into the building and spray-painted swastikas and “White Power” slogans inside, Walker said.

Police have not made arrests in any of the incidents, authorities said.

“It’s a sign of the times,” said Walker. “You don’t know if it’s kids or what, but there are some weak minds out there. . . . We just have to watch our building.”

Barbara Myler, a regional representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the church doesn’t feel singled out by this latest incident because “from what we understand, a Jewish synagogue and some churches in this area have been vandalized in recent years. . . . But we can empathize with other religious communities who have been on the receiving end of this kind of hatred.”

In Wednesday’s incident, an explosion about 4:50 a.m. broke several panes of thick glass at the church, which was empty at the time, police said. Upon arriving, officers discovered an unexploded portion of the bomb that they originally believed was a second pipe bomb, said Sgt. Frank Reynoso of the Foothill station.

As a precaution, several houses and apartments within a block of the church were briefly evacuated, Reynoso said.

Mormon public high school students, who arrive at the church at about 6 a.m. each weekday for an hour of Scripture studies before going to their regular schools, were told by phone not to come Wednesday, Myler said.