BEAUMONT : U.S. Enters Probe of House Firebombing

Federal agents Thursday entered the investigation into the firebombing of the mayor’s home that came two hours after the City Council approved construction of a factory to build window shutters. “This was a politically motivated act of terrorism,” Police Detective Mitch White said. The mayor, Jan Leja, fled safely with her sleeping children as the fire burned. At Monday’s City Council meeting, about 40 people opposed to the factory complained that it would generate dangerous fumes. Leja said that an hour after the debate, a man phoned her and warned, “You said you cared. You’re really going to care now.” An hour later, a flaming Molotov cocktail was thrown onto her porch and burned near her front door, authorities said.