Sharp Rise Seen in Church Arson Arrests

In the seven months since President Clinton ordered federal oversight of investigations into a rash of church burnings, authorities have made 104 arrests--eight times the previous rate, the government reported Saturday.

The fires “offended every citizen who cherishes America’s proud heritage of religious and ethnic diversity,” Clinton said in heralding the report issued by the Treasury and Justice departments on behalf of the National Church Arson Task Force.

The task force was created last summer to oversee state and local authorities prosecuting church arson. Of the 143 suspects arrested since Jan. 1, 1995, in connection with 107 church fires, 48 suspects have been convicted. As of last week, there were 221 pending investigations where no arrests had been made.

Before the task force was created, authorities averaged just 13 arrests every six months.

In his weekly radio address, Clinton also saluted the individuals, community groups and businesses that worked with the Department of Housing and Urban Development on a rebuilding initiative that included $10 million in federal loan guarantees.

Ten churches were being rebuilt at the close of 1996, with 30 more churches now under construction.

“They have shown us that America is still a country that cares about its neighbors--a country that comes together in the face of common threats to defend the common ground of our values,” Clinton said.

In the wake of the fires that sparked fear--debunked by investigators--of a racist conspiracy to destroy black churches, the Justice Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency spent nearly $4 million to beef up investigations, surveillance and prevention efforts.

Senior administration officials stressed Saturday that they could not establish any overarching criminal plan connecting the fires.

There have been more than 70 suspicious fires at church properties belonging to predominantly black congregations in Southern states since 1995. An equal number of fires has been reported at white churches in the region, where white churches outnumber black churches.

In the Republican response to Clinton’s radio address, freshman Rep. Kay Granger of Texas said Congress should make balancing the federal budget its first priority this year.

“Our first task must be to balance the federal budget. Balancing the budget will improve the quality of life for all Americans,” she said. “Our future financial security depends on balancing the budget. We must balance the budget now so that government can protect Social Security and Medicare in the future.”

Granger also urged passage of a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget every year.

Granger was mayor of Fort Worth until she was elected to Congress in November.