NATIONAL CHURCH ARSON TASK FORCE

P.O. Box 65798

Washington, D.C. 20530

The President

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

Two years ago, you declared the investigation and prevention of church

arsons a national priority. You called upon all Americans to come together

in a spirit of respect and reconciliation to prosecute those who burned

our houses of worship, to rebuild these houses of worship, and to prevent

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additional arsons from occurring. This three-part strategy has produced

one of the largest series of arson investigations in history. It continues

to produce tremendous results.

We are pleased to report that the number of church arsons is down. We

believe this decrease is due to a number of factors, including increased

vigilance, well publicized arrests, and proactive prevention efforts.

Notwithstanding these results, we must remain vigilant. Reports of fires

continue. We will continue aggressively to investigate these fires and to

prosecute the individuals responsible for these crimes.

Since June 1996, the National Church Arson Task Force ("NCATF" or "Task

Force") has successfully coordinated the efforts of Federal, state and

local law enforcement officials in the battle against church arsons. The

Task Force has investigated arsons dating back to January 1995, in order

fully to assess and address the problem. With the assistance of Congress,

which provided additional resources and enacted the Church Arson

Prevention Act of 1996, the NCATF brought together the Bureau of Alcohol

Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),

Civil Rights Division and other Department of Justice prosecutors, United

States Attorney's offices, local prosecutors, victim/witness coordinators,

Community Relations Service (CRS) conciliators and other Federal, state

and local law enforcement officials. This partnership continues to achieve

considerable success.

Today we are pleased to present the Second Year Report of the NCATF. To

date:

 The NCATF has opened investigations into 670 arsons, bombings or

attempted bombings that have occurred at houses of worship between

January 1, 1995, and September 8, 1998.

 Federal, state and local law enforcement officials have arrested 308

suspects in connection with 230 of these 670 arsons, bombings or

attempted bombings between January 1, 1995, and September 8, 1998.

 The 34 percent rate of arrest in NCATF arson cases is more than

double the 16 percent rate nationwide.

 Federal, state and local prosecutors have successfully obtained

convictions of 235 defendants in connection with 173 arsons or

bombings of houses of worship occurring between January 1, 1995, and

September 8, 1998. Other defendants are awaiting trial.

Under your leadership, the Administration initiated a comprehensive

response to arsons at America's houses of worship. This effort includes

the coordination of law enforcement investigations and prosecutions and

helping victimized communities rebuild burned churches and prevent

additional arsons. The primary mission of the Departments of Justice and

Treasury has been to investigate and prosecute responsible individuals.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to work in

partnership with the National Council of Churches, the Congress of

National Black Churches and others to help the congregations of burned

churches rebuild. The Justice Department's Community Relations Service

continues to help heal community tensions that have resulted in many of

the communities where churches have burned. The Federal Emergency

Management Agency has mounted an extensive prevention initiative.

The Task Force remains committed to expending the time, resources and

effort necessary to solve these crimes by centralizing the responsibility

for Federal prosecution in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights

Division, the existing structure within the Department of Justice that has

jurisdiction over church arson and other Federal criminal civil rights

cases. The United States Attorney's offices and state and local

authorities will continue to conduct church arson investigations and bring

prosecutions whenever appropriate, drawing upon the expertise and

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October 1998

SECOND YEAR REPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT

OVERVIEW

resources of the Task Force's partners. CRS's regional offices will assume

responsibility for the work of the CRS Church Burning Response Team.

Through these permanent mechanisms, the Federal Government will continue

to investigate and prosecute the responsible individuals.

We wish to commend the Task Force co-chairs, Treasury Under Secretary

James E. Johnson and Acting Assistant Attorney General Bill Lann Lee, for

their continuing dedication to building on the progress we have achieved.

The Task Force's success could not have been achieved without the

demonstrated commitment of special agents from ATF and the FBI. Department

of Justice and local prosecutors, state and local law enforcement

officials, CRS conciliators, and countless other individuals have also

contributed to this effort.

The attached report details the progress of the Task Force's efforts to

date. We would be pleased to brief you in more detail.

NATIONAL CHURCH ARSON TASK FORCE

P.O. Box 65798

Washington, D.C. 20530

In early 1996, Federal officials detected a sharp rise in the number of

reported attacks on our Nation's houses of worship, especially African

American churches in the South. This trend troubled law enforcement

agencies and stirred the Nation's conscience. In June 1996, President

Clinton brought these deplorable acts to the forefront of our Nation's

consciousness and formed the National Church Arson Task Force ("NCATF" or

"Task Force"), making the investigation of these fires and the swift

prosecution of the arsonists a top priority of Federal law enforcement.

The President called on all Americans to come together in a spirit of

respect and reconciliation to help victimized congregations rebuild and to

heal tensions in affected communities.

The President directed his Administration to implement a three-pronged

strategy: (1) identify and prosecute the arsonists; (2) help communities

rebuild the burned houses of worship; and (3) offer assistance in

preventing more fires. Federal officials have continued to achieve

considerable success in carrying out the President's mission and strategy

by working in partnership with state and local law enforcement and

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community and private groups.

We are pleased to report that the number of church arsons is down. We

believe this decrease is due to a number of factors, including increased

vigilance, well publicized arrests, and proactive prevention efforts.

Notwithstanding these results, we must remain vigilant. There continue to

be fires reported. We continue aggressively to investigate these fires and

prosecute those arrested.

PROSECUTIONS

 670 Incidents Investigated. The NCATF has opened investigations into

670 arsons, bombings or attempted bombings that have occurred at

houses of worship between January 1, 1995 and September 8, 1998.

 308 Arrested. Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 308

suspects in connection with 230 of the 670 incidents.

 34% Arrest Rate. The 34% rate of arrest in NCATF arson cases is more

than double the 16% rate of arson arrests nationwide.

 235 Convicted. Between January 1, 1995 and September 8, 1998, Federal

and state prosecutors successfully obtained convictions of 235

defendants in connection with 173 incidents. Most of the incidents

involved arsons at houses of worship, but some involved the use of

firearms, bombs or violent threats against houses of worship.

REBUILDING

 The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is working

closely with the National Council of Churches, the Congress of

National Black Churches, Habitat for Humanity and other organizations

in the rebuilding effort. As a result of this cooperation, 45 houses

of worship have been rebuilt and 67 are undergoing construction.

 HUD also continues to administer a $10 million Federal Loan Guarantee

Fund, which was established by Congress as part of the 1996 Church

Arson Prevention Act to assist the rebuilding effort. A total of

$1,868,000 in loan guarantee commitments has been made as of May 26,

1998.

 The Community Relations Service (CRS), the Federal Government's

peacemaker in conflicts arising from race, color or national origin,

has worked with over 230 communities throughout the country to

resolve racial tensions and disputes, to promote multiracial

cooperation in rebuilding and to prevent future incidents of church

arsons.

PREVENTION

 The National Arson Prevention Initiative continues to create

coalitions, leverage resources, and provide tools to help communities

prevent arson. Since July 1996, the Department of Justice has awarded

$3 million in grants to counties in 13 states to intensify their

enforcement and surveillance efforts regarding vulnerable houses of

worship.

 Since Fiscal Year 1996, the Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA) has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to state and

local governments to enhance the delivery of arson investigation and

prevention training programs, to encourage the development of arson

awareness campaigns, and to seed the formation of community- based

coalitions for arson prevention. FEMA has partnered with over 300

organizations to prevent arson. It established the National Arson

Prevention Clearinghouse to coordinate 1.5 million technical

assistance requests and to provide public education materials for

communities. Through its four-city pilot prevention program, FEMA

continues to develop and strengthen coalitions of community and

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business leaders and representatives from the private and public

sectors. FEMA also has provided arson prevention and detection

training to thousands of fire and law enforcement personnel and

community leaders.

LESSONS LEARNED

Several important factors underlie the success of the Task Force's

coordinated investigation and prosecution effort:

 A clear statement of mission from President Clinton, Vice President

Gore, Treasury Secretary Rubin, and Attorney General Reno on the

importance of fighting arsons at houses of worship has guided the

Task Force.

 Joint leadership, strong mission oversight and regular communication

by the Departments of Justice and Treasury under the direct

supervision of the Task Force co-chairs, Under Secretary of the

Treasury James E. Johnson and Acting Assistant Attorney General Bill

Lann Lee, have highlighted the need for accountability and set the

tone for full cooperation among all participants in the effort.

 The development and use of protocols have enabled diverse

governmental entities to work together successfully and to forge a

unified and rapid response to arsons at houses of worship.

 Cross-training among all agencies of the Task Force has enabled all

participants to better understand the expertise, capabilities, and

resources offered by each member of the team. The Task Force

particularly has benefitted from the combined expertise of the FBI in

civil rights investigations and ATF in arson and bombing

investigations.

THE FUTURE

 The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expending the

time, resources and effort necessary to solve church arsons and

prosecute those who are responsible by creating a more permanent

institutional approach to the handling of these cases. This Fall, the

Task Force lodged responsibility for Federal prosecution in the

Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division, the existing structure

within the Justice Department that has jurisdiction over church arson

and other Federal criminal civil rights cases.

 Key members of the Task Force Operations Team have joined the

Criminal Section, which handles the investigation and prosecution of

church arson cases. The United States Attorneys' offices and state

and local authorities also continue to investigate and prosecute

arsons at houses of worship. These investigations and prosecutions

continue to be coordinated with and draw upon the expertise and

resources of the Task Force's partners, including ATF and the FBI.

ATF has created permanent staff positions for this effort, which

complement the resources deployed by FBI civil rights squads. The new

Hate Crimes Unit at the FBI continues to supervise its field church

arson investigations. CRS's regional offices have assumed

responsibility for the work of the CRS Church Burning Response Team.

The Task Force continues to hold regular meetings with the co- chairs

in order to coordinate the work of its constituent agencies. It is

through these permanent mechanisms and institutions that church

arsons continue to be investigated and prosecuted as a priority of

the Federal Government.

I. PROSECUTING DEFENDANTS

A. Coordinating the Investigations

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In June 1996, President Clinton established the NCATF to coordinate the

efforts of Federal, state and local law enforcement in response to a sharp

increase in reports of attacks on churches, particularly African American

churches in the South. Shortly thereafter, Attorney General Janet Reno

directed all 94 U.S. Attorneys either to establish local task forces

focusing on arsons at houses of worship in their districts or to expand

the scope of existing local task forces to include church arsons. These

local task forces include state and local law enforcement and fire

prevention officials, special agents of ATF and the FBI, mediators from

the CRS, and victim/witness coordinators.

In addition to the local task forces, the NCATF established an Operations

Team in Washington, D.C. staffed by special agents of ATF and the FBI, as

well as seasoned prosecutors from the Justice Department's Civil Rights

Division and U.S. Attorneys' offices around the country. The Operations

Team forged an investigative and prosecutorial effort that effectively

combats church arsons through an unprecedented coordinated and rapid

response throughout the country. Since the formation of the Task Force,

hundreds of ATF and FBI investigators have been deployed to work with

Federal prosecutors and state and local task forces and law enforcement

authorities.

B. Conducting the Investigations

For years, many arsons at houses of worship were handled by local

authorities and were not reported to any Federal agency. As a result,

local law enforcement often was not able to benefit from the expertise,

capabilities and resources of the Federal Government in pursuing these

incidents. But, over the past two years, the NCATF has transformed the

nationwide law enforcement response to church arsons, in part through the

creation of its Operations Team, which has consisted of Civil Rights

Division prosecutors, Assistant United States Attorneys on detail from

United States Attorneys' offices across the country, special agents of the

FBI and ATF, paralegals, analysts and additional support staff.

Pursuant to directives of the Attorney General and NCATF protocols drafted

specifically to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of church

arson cases, the Operations Team has worked cooperatively with Federal,

state, and local officials in the field to investigate every arson,

bombing and attempted bombing that is reported to have occurred since

January 1, 1995 at a house of worship in the United States. The Operations

Team prosecutors have served as co-counsel, when appropriate, with local

United States Attorneys' offices in all Federal church arson prosecutions.

The Operations Team has also monitored all church arson cases brought in

state courts.

The protocols and guidelines for the joint investigation and prosecution

of suspected arsons establish procedures for facilitating the exchange of

information among Task Force agencies, for developing an investigative

plan for each incident, and for ensuring that

investigators pursue all leads and lines of inquiry, including whether the

crime was motivated by race or religion and whether any one incident is

connected to any other. These protocols will remain in force as the Task

Force integrates its work into the existing structures of the Civil Rights

Division, the United States Attorneys' offices, ATF and the FBI.

As described in our First Year Report, once an investigation is opened,

the NCATF compiles statistical information about the case in a unified

database. In addition, the databases and computer systems of ATF and the

FBI are used to track and analyze evidence and to generate investigative

leads. In pursuing these investigations, the FBI calls upon its experience

in conducting civil rights investigations, and ATF relies on its expertise

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in conducting arson and explosives investigations. The NCATF also engages

in training among its constituent agencies: ATF experts train FBI agents

and Department of Justice prosecutors regarding arson investigations;

Civil Rights Division prosecutors and FBI experts train ATF agents

regarding civil rights investigations and prosecutions.

The work of the Operations Team has been central to the extraordinary

success of the NCATF. As described more fully below, the Task Force has

analyzed its two years of experience and has formulated "lessons learned"

or "best practices" to guide its work. We will continue to rely on these

lessons as we move forward in our efforts to investigate and prosecute

those who are responsible for these reprehensible crimes.

C. Strengthening The Effort: Beyond New Laws and Additional Resources

Congress has supported the efforts of the Task Force throughout its

existence. Particularly in the early days of the Task Force, Congress

strengthened Federal laws as necessary and provided crucial resources for

the Task Force's effort.

At the time of the formation of the Task Force, Federal prosecutors relied

on several statutes to prosecute arson cases. Among others, they had

authority under the Anti-Arson Act of 1982 to prosecute those who used

fire to destroy property involved in interstate commerce (18 U.S.C. § 844

(i)). Under criminal civil rights statutes, they also had the authority to

prosecute those who conspired to deprive persons of their civil rights or

desecrated religious property or a house of worship (18 U.S.C. §§ 241 and

247).

On July 3, 1996, President Clinton signed the Church Arson Prevention Act

of 1996, which granted federal prosecutors greater power in pursuing

burnings and desecrations at houses of worship. Sponsored by Senators

Lauch Faircloth (R-NC), Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), and by Congressmen Henry

J. Hyde (R-IL) and John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), the statute was passed

unanimously by both Houses of Congress.

The new law, which amended 18 U.S.C. § 247, enables federal prosecutors to

file charges in racially motivated arsons without having to demonstrate

that the incident affected interstate commerce. Prosecutors no longer are

required to show that the resulting damage totaled $10,000 or more. Also,

prosecutors are able to seek sentences of up to 20 years' imprisonment for

arson. In addition, in August 1996, Congress provided more than $12

million to support ATF's role in the Task Force until the end of that

fiscal year. The next month, Congress appropriated an additional $12

million for ATF's role in the following fiscal year. Additional funds for

Task Force activities by the Justice Department and the FBI also were

appropriated or reprogrammed.

In addition to new laws and resources, the development of protocols to

guide the investigations has significantly bolstered the work of the Task

Force. The first task of the Operations Team was to bridge the diverse

practices of the constituent agencies by creating a working document to

guide efforts to coordinate and unify investigations. The protocols

addressed the formation of command posts, exchange of information, conduct

of witness interviews, prosecutorial staffing and responsibilities, and

the sensitivities of investigations involving ministers and congregation

members.

Investigators also have been aided significantly by several databases and

technologies. The Operations Team has access to a nationwide investigative

lead database maintained by ATF that can identify, sort and track

information from selected church arsons. In addition, Geographic

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Information Systems (GIS) computer technology is used as an investigative

tool to identify trends and patterns in tabular data through the use of

maps. Initially, the precise locations of houses of worship are tracked in

its database. Next, the system is manipulated to identify houses of

worship that are in close geographic proximity to one another where

crimes, both solved and unsolved, have occurred. Investigators look to see

whether unsolved crimes against houses of worship are related to solved

crimes that have been committed at a nearby religious institution that is

located across a jurisdictional boundary, such as a county or state

border.

D. Progress To Date

1. Investigations

We are pleased to report that the number of church arsons is down. We

believe this decrease is due to a number of factors, including increased

vigilance, well publicized arrests, and proactive prevention efforts.

Notwithstanding these results, we must remain vigilant. Church fires

continue to be reported. We continue aggressively to investigate these

fires and prosecute those arrested.

As of September 8, 1998, the NCATF has opened investigations into 670

arsons, bombings or attempted bombings that have occurred at houses of

worship since January 1, 1995. We are pleased to report that the number of

church arsons is down. (See Appendix 1, Charts K and L reflecting the

number of nationwide church arsons, bombings and attempted bombings; see

Charts M and N reflecting the number of church arsons, bombings and

attempted bombings in the South.) In addition to those investigations,

Federal and state law enforcement and fire officials have responded to 315

fires which were determined to be caused accidentally and to 105 fires for

which the cause remains undetermined.

Of the 670 incidents that we have investigated, 225 have involved African

American churches, 163 of which are located in the southern United States.

[See Appendix 1, Chart A; See Appendix 1, Charts B-J for a list of church

fire investigations throughout the United States. Also see Appendix 1,

Charts K-N.]

While the number of reported arsons at houses of worship appears to have

declined since the peak in June 1996, Federal authorities continue to

receive reports of fires. The NCATF continues to respond to all reports of

new arsons and opens a new investigation for every suspicious fire. The

Task Force remains committed to expending the necessary time, resources

and effort to solving these crimes and prosecuting those who are

responsible.

2. Arrests

The partnership among law enforcement agencies has produced a significant

number of state and Federal arrests. Between January 1, 1995, and

September 8, 1998, Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 308

defendants in connection with 230 of the 670 incidents that the Task Force

has investigated. The 34% arrest rate is more than double the general

arrest rate for arsons, which is approximately 16%, according to Justice

Department statistics. [See Appendix 1, Chart O]

Of the 308 persons arrested, 254 are white, 46 are African American, and

eight are Hispanic. One hundred and nineteen people arrested were

juveniles. Of the 106 suspects arrested for arsons at African American

churches, 68 are white, 37 are African American and one is Hispanic. Of

the 197 suspects arrested for arsons at non-African American houses of

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worship, 181 are white, nine are African American, and seven are Hispanic.

Five of the white suspects were arrested for arsons at both African

American and non-African American churches. [See Appendix 1, Charts P-T.]

As of September 8, 1998, there were 427 investigations in which arrests

had not yet been made.

3. Convictions

Between January 1, 1995, and September 8, 1998, Federal, state and local

prosecutors successfully obtained convictions of 235 defendants in

connection with 173 arsons or bombings of houses of worship. [See Appendix

2 for a list of incidents in which a conviction has been obtained.] These

successes include the first convictions under provisions of the Church

Arson Prevention Act of 1996. Of the 61 defendants who have been convicted

of Federal charges, 29 defendants were convicted of hate crimes arising

from 24 incidents. Another four defendants were convicted of, or were

allowed to plead guilty to, lesser Federal charges in cases in which hatebased motives were alleged. Of 171 defendants convicted of state criminal

charges, 25 defendants were convicted for 13 incidents connected to hate

crime motives.

In still other cases, state prosecutions have been initiated in

consultation with Federal prosecutors or investigators. The NCATF actively

monitors these prosecutions to ensure that

any Federal interest is vindicated and to ensure that accurate information

is compiled regarding law enforcement's response to attacks on houses of

worship.

II. HELPING TO REBUILD

A. Coordinating the Rebuilding Effort

The Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to work in

partnership with the National Council of Churches and the Congress of

National Black Churches under its National Rebuilding Initiative (NRI) to

provide financial and other support for the rebuilding of burned churches.

Such work is being coordinated by and accomplished with Habitat for

Humanity, local financial institutions and many other organizations.

Together, these groups have worked diligently to assess the overall damage

caused by church arsons and have targeted resources for affected houses of

worship.

Resources available through this rebuilding coalition include grants, low

interest guaranteed loans, materials and in-kind donations, pro bono legal

services, architectural design services, assistance with insurance, and

volunteers. As stated in our First Year Report, the resources have come

from a wide array of participants who have responded to the arsons,

including volunteer and religious organizations such as Habitat for

Humanity, Christmas in April, Mennonite Disaster Services, United

Methodist's Volunteers in Mission, Washington Quaker Work Camps, Promise

Keepers, and organized construction volunteers.

Further, the American Institute of Architects provided volunteer

architectural design services; the AFL-CIO and other unions organized

union construction workers; the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under

Law organized private law firms to provide pro bono legal services; and

the Enterprise Foundation worked with a coalition of foundations to

contribute financial resources to the rebuilding effort.

Through the NRI collaborative efforts, 45 churches have been rebuilt and

another 67 are under construction. The partners have fully assessed 233

churches, with another 36 affected churches scheduled to be fully

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reviewed. Another 16 rebuilt churches have been assisted in refinancing.

B. Strengthening Resources to Help Rebuild

Working with President Clinton, Congress enacted legislation that

authorized a HUD loan guarantee program that can be used for rebuilding

houses of worship. The Church Arson

Prevention Act of 1996 made HUD responsible for administering a $10

million Federal Loan

Guarantee Fund to assist with the rebuilding of houses of worship and

buildings of other

non-profit organizations that have been damaged or destroyed by acts of

arson or terrorism. Secretary Cuomo has worked throughout the country to

encourage public-private partnerships in the rebuilding effort.

The combined efforts of the NRI have permitted numerous congregations to

return to their places of worship, and again become the center of the

social, spiritual, and inspirational life of their respective communities.

For churches, the NRI grants, loan guarantees, technical assistance and

other resources have helped to:

1. bridge the financial gap to make rebuilding possible;

2. serve, in some instances, as last resort financing to

complete the rebuilding process;

3. assist a congregation in saving $178,500 over the term of a

20-year bank loan guaranteed by HUD by reducing through

refinancing the interest expense on the loan by 275 basis points

(2.75%);

4. assist a recipient of an average guaranteed loan of $266,000

to save from $39,000 to $59,000 over the life of a 20-year

guaranteed loan where the interest rate on such a loan is 100 to

150 basis points below the Wall Street Journal prime rate, a

rate below which many banks are hard pressed to make loans for

rebuilding purposes.

As of May 26, 1998, a total of $1,868,000 in loan guarantee commitments

were made to seven different churches that requested help. These churches

include: Emmanuel Church (Decatur, AL); Second New Light OFW Baptist

(Bridgeport, CT); New Birth Temple COGIC (Shreveport, LA); Greater Mt.

Zion Tabernacle (Portsmouth, VA); New Harvest Baptist (Town of Cornwall,

NY); Bethel AME (Monroeville, PA); and Southtowns Christian Center

(Lakeview, NY).

C. Reaching Out to Communities

Throughout the past two years, church arson investigators and prosecutors

have gone beyond their traditional enforcement roles and in many instances

have joined with senior government officials to visit and talk with

affected communities.

 Numerous conferences, panels, seminars, town hall meetings and

workshops have been held around the country to explore the many

issues surrounding incidents of church arson, and in many cases,

related hate crimes. Open dialogues with religious and community

organizations have resulted in greater understanding among the

participants, more effective enforcement and progress on the road to

healing. These discussions deepen the understanding between the

church, community members and law enforcement.

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 The Congress of National Black Churches, the Anti-Defamation League,

the National Council of Churches, the National Coalition of Burned

Churches, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored

People, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference are just

some of the national groups that have assisted law enforcement in its

overall response to attacks on houses of worship. The private-public

partnership is continuing to identify other areas where help can be

provided.

 Law enforcement personnel and CRS conciliators have helped

congregations establish Church Watch Programs, which help bond the

church and local community with law enforcement and fire personnel to

prevent attacks and establish relationships in the event future

attacks occur. An example of a successful Church Watch Program is the

Louisiana Magnolia State Police Officers Association's program.

 Over one million copies of the Church Threat Assessment Guide and

Bomb Threats and Physical Security Planning publications produced by

ATF in partnership with FEMA, Treasury, the Justice Department and

the FBI have been distributed to congregations. ATF and FBI Field

Offices throughout the country are conducting outreach and training

initiatives. Victim-witness coordinators for the agencies and for the

United States Attorneys' offices also are assisting as needed to help

victim congregations.

 The CRS plays a key role in the work of the Task Force. CRS continues

to provide conflict prevention and resolution assistance to local

officials, law enforcement authorities, clergy and other leaders in

some 17 states. Law enforcement personnel worked with CRS in six

statewide arson prevention conferences and with the Office of Victims

of Crime for a conference in Columbia, South Carolina focusing on the

youth who are members of the congregations whose churches were

burned.

Through these efforts, racial distrust and polarization are reduced, new

partnerships between police and minority groups are developed, and

training for law enforcement and community organizations is put into

place. These efforts help to ensure good communication and cooperation

between the Task Force and local ministers in troubled communities -- an

important factor contributing to the Task Force's success.

Consistent connections to the community will be maintained through the

Hate Crimes Working Groups and Church Arson Task Forces which have been

formed in the United States Attorneys' offices at the direction of the

Attorney General.

III. PREVENTING ARSONS

A. Coordinating Prevention Efforts

When President Clinton established the Task Force, he asked the Federal

Emergency Management Agency to lead a National Arson Prevention Initiative

(NAPI or the Initiative). Since its creation on June 19, 1996, the

Initiative has focused on identifying and coordinating public and private

sector resources to support community-based efforts to prevent arson.

The NAPI has emphasized creating coalitions, leveraging resources and

providing communities with the tools they need to prevent church arsons.

Over 300 organizations have partnered with FEMA as part of the NAPI. The

NAPI now includes agencies and departments from across Federal, state and

local governments, the private sector, national fire service and law

enforcement associations, church and community groups and education and

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crime prevention organizations.

In June 1996, FEMA established a Clearinghouse to provide public education

materials and to coordinate technical assistance requests from

communities. The Clearinghouse is accessible by a toll-free number (1-888-

603-3100) or through FEMA's web site (www.fema.gov). Materials distributed

through the Clearinghouse include church and other structure threat

assessment and fire safety documents, juvenile firesetter intervention

brochures, public education materials and community organizing and

coalition building guidance. The Clearinghouse also distributed more than

3,000 copies of the Aegis and Telly award-winning videotape "Fighting

Church Arson," which outlines steps congregations can take to prevent a

tragic fire in their own houses of worship. Local, regional and national

television broadcasts of the videotape further disseminated the message.

The Clearinghouse has reached over 1.5 million individuals, organizations

and communities with arson awareness and prevention materials. Working

with the National Council of Churches, the Congress of National Black

Churches and other members of the faith community, thousands of houses of

worship have been reached with arson prevention pamphlets, brochures and

other materials providing educational or technical support.

B. Strengthening Prevention Resources

1. Training, technical assistance and grants

In an effort to help communities prevent future arsons, the Federal

Government provided

additional resources. For instance, as reported in our First Year Report,

with Congress' authorization the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice

Assistance awarded $3 million in grants to counties from 13 states to

intensify their enforcement and surveillance efforts around vulnerable

houses of worship. Grants were awarded in Alabama, Florida, Georgia,

Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma,

South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

In Fiscal Year 1996, FEMA awarded $774,000 in training grants to states to

enhance the delivery of state and local arson investigations, prevention

and training. Each state received a minimum award of $12,000, with

targeted high-risk states in the Southeast receiving a total award of

$25,000. In Fiscal Year 1997, FEMA again awarded $12,000 to each state to

support statewide arson prevention programs and priorities. Over two

fiscal years, FEMA has provided over $20,000 to each of its four pilot

arson prevention communities. Further, in Fiscal Year 1998, FEMA is

awarding $15,000 to an additional 15 communities to expand the coalition

building program.

2. Prevention education

Among its many prevention and education efforts, in May 1997 and May 1998,

FEMA sponsored National Arson Awareness Week in cooperation with other

partners in the NAPI. "Target Arson," the national public education

campaign that has surrounded each week, encourages communities to become

more involved in preventing arsons.

Events and activities were hosted in nearly every state. Some 150 cities

participated in the 1998 National Arson Awareness Week. The model programs

developed by the four arson pilot cities of 1997 (Nashville, Tennessee,

Charlotte, North Carolina, Macon, Georgia, and Utica, New York) became the

impetus for many other communities to participate in events during the

National Arson Awareness Week.

President Clinton issued a National Arson Awareness Week Proclamation in

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1998 stating that:

All arsons are not hate crimes, but all are hateful crimes.

Whether destroying a life, a business, a home, a place of

worship, or a national park, arson robs society of something

that is precious and meaningful.

As part of National Arson Awareness Week, the national partners sponsored

a national on-line "chat" session with fifth grade students to discuss

arson and fire prevention. Mayors and governors issued proclamations and

Federal officials participated with state and local leaders in events over

the course of the week. Arson prevention activities that took place around

the country included the following: unsolved arson cases were publicized

in an effort to gain new leads; demonstration building board-ups and

demolitions were conducted; facility arson risk assessments were

conducted; and fire drills and other activities focusing on schools were

held.

The NCATF continues to work closely with FEMA, the Bureau of Justice

Assistance, the National Sheriffs' Association and Southern governors to

address arson prevention at the grassroots level. The four pilot

communities - - Nashville, Tennessee, Charlotte, North Carolina, Macon,

Georgia, and Utica, New York - - have become a strong part of the

successful national community partnership focused on arson prevention.

Each of these communities, and many others that followed their lead,

embarked upon building local arson prevention coalitions using varied

leadership, resources, outreach approaches and a great deal of creativity.

Each community received $10,000 in seed money. This sum was leveraged and

compounded many times over in the pilot cities.

These pilot programs have led to marked reductions in each community's

arson rate and have become models for the nation in addressing a wide

range of social and economic issues. While much remains to be

accomplished, we are proud to report that our efforts in response to the

President's charge to establish an effective and community-based arson

prevention effort have been successful.

IV. RECONCILIATION

A. Reaching Out to the Affected Communities

As reported in our First Year Report, without the confidence and

cooperation of the congregations whose houses of worship burned, many of

these investigations, which were difficult at the outset, would have been

destined to fail. Faced with criticism of law enforcement from some

congregations, the NCATF took steps early on to ensure solid, working

relationships between law enforcement and the affected communities.

President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Secretary of the Treasury Rubin

and Attorney General Reno have helped reach out to the affected

communities. They have spoken out forcefully on the commitment of the

Federal Government to solve these arsons and have met with ministers from

the burned churches.

In June 1996, President Clinton traveled to the site of a burned African

American church in Greeleyville, South Carolina, to help dedicate a new

church. Later that month, he organized an interfaith breakfast where he

called on leaders of all faiths to open discussions to resolve our

Nation's racial and religious divisions. In August 1996, the President and

Vice President and their families traveled to Fruitland, Tennessee, to

help rebuild a church that had been destroyed.

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The President also convened a meeting of governors from affected states,

who have worked hard to marshal resources in their states to help

investigate arsons, prevent future arsons, and rebuild burned houses of

worship. He also acknowledged the work of many groups which responded to

these incidents, including the National Council of Churches, the AntiDefamation League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the

National Association of Evangelicals, and the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People.

In addition to meeting with representatives from these groups and the

Congressional Black Caucus, the leadership of the Task Force has visited

churches in the South to reinforce the Task Force's commitment to these

investigations, view the devastation these arsons have

wrought, and help bridge the racial divide in communities that have been

polarized by arsons.

B. Dispatching Conflict Resolution Experts

The Community Relations Service has been an important partner in Task

Force outreach efforts. Conflict resolution experts from CRS have worked

directly with many local communities to promote multiracial cooperation in

the construction of houses of worship, and to provide technical assistance

in ways that bring together law enforcement agencies and minority

neighborhoods.

In 1997-1998 as part of its community building mission, CRS co-sponsored

six state- wide conferences on arson prevention. The conferences raised

awareness of racial and other factors which lead up to churches being

burned. In addition, CRS has worked to develop local dialogue mechanisms

to help ensure that racial disputes will be addressed by the community

before they lead to a crisis.

The NCATF developed, with the help of CRS, a "Best Practices" guide for

conducting community outreach activities. These "Best Practices" include

four lessons for best developing an effective response to church burnings

and other incidents that may have racial origins:

 First, assembling a group of seasoned professionals knowledgeable in

a variety of subject areas is key to CRS's ability to assist

communities in the aftermath of church burnings.

 Second, extensive information-sharing and expeditious pooling of

resources among various agencies involved has been essential to the

Task Force's success.

 Third, developing local mechanisms to continue dialogue in the

aftermath of a church burning helps ensure that problems will be

addressed in the community before they lead to another crisis.

 Fourth, a well-designed conference format at the state-wide level can

provide a constructive forum in which members of affected communities

can discuss their points of frustration.

V. LESSONS LEARNED

Over the past two years, the Task Force has sought to determine the most

effective ways to investigate and prosecute arsons at houses of worship.

We have identified several factors which underlie the success of the

Operations Team and the local task forces. They include:

1. Strong message from leadership

A strong and persistent message from President Clinton, Vice President

Gore, Secretary Rubin, and Attorney General Reno highlighted the

importance of fighting the battle against arsons at houses of worship. A

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clear statement of mission and guiding principles -- from the highest

levels -- provided focus for the Task Force and field personnel.

2. Strong mission oversight

Exercise of mission oversight at the national level highlights the need

for accountability. At the outset, FBI Director Freeh and ATF Director

Magaw notified their respective agents of agency leadership's commitment

to the investigation and arrest of those responsible for arsons, bombings,

and attempted bombings at America's houses of worship. This high level of

commitment promotes adherence to the Task Force's mission. Ongoing

direction and troubleshooting take place through the Operations Working

Group, which consists of one representative from each of the Operations

Team's Federal components: Civil Rights Division, FBI, ATF and the United

States Attorneys' offices.

3. Joint leadership

Co-chairing of the Task Force by the Treasury and Justice Departments

signaled the importance of a joint investigative and prosecutorial effort.

The demonstration of shared commitment and responsibility at the Task

Force's top level sets the tone for cooperative relationships at the

working level and ensures shared recognition for mission accomplishments.

4. Development and use of protocols

Early on, the Operations Working Group drafted the NCATF scope and

protocols. These documents provide bright line guidance for converging the

practices of four diverse entities into a unified and focused response.

The Task Force protocols allow NCATF prosecutors and agents sufficient

flexibility to pursue their assigned cases both creatively and

responsibly, though under the common umbrella of national enforcement. The

Task Force's protocols, moreover, are adaptable. For example, the

investigative protocol relied upon by ATF and the FBI provided a model for

the conduct of the investigation of the Atlanta bombings.

5. Centralized, co-located Task Force

A centralized, co-located Task Force aided in the development of important

working relationships. Task Force personnel were able to develop an

appreciation for the work done by their colleagues from other agencies and

organizational units. The centralized Task Force facilitated definition

and analysis of the "bigger picture" on church arsons based upon

information reported from the field.

6. Coordination between investigators and prosecutors

Cases handled by the Task Force benefit from early and continuous

coordination between investigators and prosecutors. The Task Force's team

approach facilitates the development of church arson cases. The liaison

between prosecutors and investigators, for example, helps sensitize ATF

agents to the need to look for evidence concerning the arsonists' racial

motivation. This type of coordination and information-sharing has been a

critical component of the success of the Task Force.

7. Reliance upon established chains of command

The Task Force did not establish its own chain of command. Rather, it uses

established agency chains of command to carry forward its operational and

policy recommendations. Interagency conflicts are reduced and directives

are more effective because the Task Force relies on agency chains of

command to communicate feedback and direction to FBI and ATF agents, civil

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rights prosecutors and U.S. Attorneys.

8. Consistent communication

Regular meetings, led by the Task Force co-chairs, of representatives of

all Task Force partner agencies, encourage the timely sharing of important

information across organizational boundaries and enable the Task Force to

anticipate issues before they become serious. Meetings of the Task Force's

Operations Group further enabled the Civil Rights Division, ATF, the FBI,

and the Executive Office of United States Attorneys to identify and

discuss problems, which are then communicated up the relevant chains of

command and down the chains to the field agents and prosecutors.

9. The benefits of cross-training

Cross-training enables ATF and the FBI as well as the prosecutors to

better understand the resources and capabilities offered by each. In

addition, the cross-fertilization of ideas fostered by the Task Force's

team approach to problem solving results in stronger working relationships

between ATF, the FBI, the Community Relations Service, Civil Rights

Division attorneys and United States Attorneys. As a consequence of the

Task Force experience, in pursuing its other missions, ATF now more

readily calls upon the resources offered by CRS. In addition, ATF provides

prosecutors with improved insights into its investigative strategy, thus

enabling the attorneys and ATF agents to work together even more

effectively.

10. Community outreach

The Task Force co-chairs, prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division and

United States Attorneys' offices and investigators from the agencies

frequently participate in public meetings, panels and conferences

concerning church arsons. First hand dialogue, and sometimes, debate,

deepens the understanding between the church and the community members and

law enforcement.

As noted above, the Justice Department's Community Relations Service plays

a key role in the work of the Task Force. CRS provides conflict prevention

and resolution assistance to local officials, law enforcement authorities,

clergy, and other leaders in affected areas. The efforts of CRS help

ensure good communication and cooperation between the Task Force and local

ministers in troubled communities: an important factor contributing to the

Task Force's success.

11. Community-based arson prevention efforts

As the direct result of the attention engendered by the church fires in

the South, communities across the nation have embraced arson prevention

efforts. Increased surveillance of vulnerable facilities, the formation of

neighborhood watch groups, an emphasis on education programs for children,

and safety and security assessments of houses of worship characterize the

prevention activities that have occurred in states throughout the country.

Communities have come together to reinforce and support their fire and law

enforcement departments. They have recognized that the full community must

be engaged in order to prevent the next fire. What has emerged from the

tragedies of the church burnings is that prevention does work. We have

learned a great lesson about partnership in that governments at all

levels, the private sector and individual citizens must be involved.

Efforts in communities have made and will continue to make an impact on

arson rates and preventing the problem in the future.

VI. THE FUTURE: A PERMANENT MECHANISM FOR INVESTIGATING AND PROSECUTING

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CHURCH ARSONS

The lessons the Task Force has learned over the past two years will be

applied as the investigative and prosecutorial work of the Task Force is

integrated into the existing structures of the Justice Department, ATF,

the FBI and United States Attorneys' offices throughout the country.

Building upon these lessons learned, the Task Force will make permanent

its priority commitment to investigation and prosecution of arsons at

houses of worship.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to expending

the time, resources and effort necessary to solve these crimes and

prosecute those who are responsible by creating a more permanent

institutional approach to the handling of these cases. This Fall, the Task

Force lodged responsibility for Federal prosecution in the Criminal

Section of the Civil

Rights Division, the existing structure within the Justice Department that

has jurisdiction over church arson and other Federal criminal civil rights

cases.

Key members of the current Operations Team joined the Criminal Section,

which handles the investigation and prosecution of church arson cases. The

United States Attorneys' offices and state and local authorities also

continue to investigate and prosecute the arsons of houses of worship.

State authorities continue to handle a significant number of the church

arson cases.

These investigations and prosecutions continue to be coordinated with and

draw upon the expertise and resources of the Task Force's partners,

including ATF and the FBI. ATF has created permanent supervisory staff

positions devoted solely to supervising the field investigations of church

arsons as well as statistical maintenance and analysis. The FBI has placed

its supervisory agents for church arsons within its new Hate Crimes Unit.

CRS's regional offices assumed responsibility for the work of the CRS

Church Burning Response Team.

In addition, the Attorney General's guidelines and the NCATF-developed

protocols for the joint handling of investigations and prosecutions

continue to be utilized. The coordination among Federal, state and local

agencies continues through the Hate Crimes Working Groups based in each of

the United States Attorneys' offices, with assistance as needed from the

Civil Rights Division.

Finally, the regular meetings of the Task Force co-chairs and high-level

representatives from each of the Federal agencies, including the

Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division and Community Relations

Service, the Treasury Department, the FBI, ATF, FEMA and HUD, continue to

be held as a means of sharing information about programs and progress. It

is through these permanent mechanisms and institutions that church arsons

continue to be investigated and prosecuted as a priority of the Federal

Government.

VII. CONFIRMING OUR PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS

As noted above, 670 fires have been reported to the Task Force since it

began its work in 1996. These are serious crimes with devastating

consequences for the people and communities affected. In some instances,

the history of the community was destroyed, including records of births,

baptisms, marriages and deaths.

Federal authorities continue to investigate open cases and to prosecute

the individuals who are indicted for these crimes. Although our work is

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ongoing, the evidence continues to support the preliminary conclusions set

forth in our First Year Report. As we observed last year, these

conclusions are based only on cases in which we have successfully brought

and prosecuted criminal charges.

A. Motives

The arsons at African American churches raised significant fears about an

increase in racially motivated crimes. The NCATF has recognized that, to

the greatest extent possible, it is important to determine the motives

underlying the attacks on houses of worship. However, it can be difficult

to establish motives conclusively.

Among the racially motivated church arsons so far solved through

convictions, two church arsons have been directly linked to Ku Klux Klan

members. Evidence concerning a separate incident of two church arsons

included information that some of the arsonists had attended a Ku Klux

Klan rally two days before the arson. The remaining racially motivated

church arsons for which there have been convictions do not appear to have

direct connections to readily identified hate groups, but rather are the

acts of small groups of individuals or of arsonists acting alone.

There have been convictions for racially or religiously motivated attacks

on houses of worship in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana,

Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

As reflected by the list of convictions attached as Appendix 2, the arsons

-- at both African American and other houses of worship -- were motivated

by multiple factors, including racism and religious hatred. Arsonists have

burned churches for other reasons, including opportunistic and random

vandalism, pyromania, mental health disturbances, feuding with ministers,

retribution against religious authorities, parking or neighborhood

disputes, covering up of burglaries, and financial profit. In some cases,

the arsonists claimed they believed the church to be an abandoned

building.

However, when actual or perceived racial hatred has sparked the arson of a

church, the crime is even more egregious. In the African American

community, the church historically has been a primary community

institution. It was the only institution that was permitted during the

years of slavery. It was the institution that enabled people to read. It

has been the institution that formed the backbone for a tremendous amount

of political activism. Critical events of the civil rights movement, such

as the Montgomery bus boycott, had their genesis in the church. Many

leaders within the African American community grew up in the church or

remain ministers of the church. So, for the African American community, it

was decidedly disturbing to see the number of churches being burned.

The arson of a house of worship always causes significant anguish in any

community, whether large or small, black or white. Our government must

never stop responding to these crimes; we must help ensure that people can

live and worship in peace.

B. Conspiracy

As reported in the First Year Report to the President, the Task Force has

brought conspiracy charges in a number of cases relating to fires linked

by common defendants. The conspiracies alleged have tended to be confined

to the small geographic areas where the specific arsons connected to the

conspiracies have occurred. The cases closed and the charges that have

been filed to date do not support the theory that these fires were the

product of a broad or nationwide conspiracy. Nonetheless, investigators

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October 1998

This was last updated on October 22, 1998

remain alert to evidence that broader conspiracies may have been

responsible for some of these fires.

C. Hate Group Involvement

Although there have been some cases in which members and former members of

hate groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, have been convicted for arsons at

houses of worship, most of the defendants were not found to be members of

hate groups. However, prosecutors are not required to prove that a

defendant belongs to a hate group in order to obtain a conviction in a

civil rights prosecution. In such cases, prosecutors need only show that

the defendant was motivated, at least in part, by race, religion, national

origin or color.

CONCLUSION

We have seen how law enforcement can work together to produce tremendous

successes. We have seen how government agencies and private groups can

work together to help rebuild a house of worship and to prevent future

arsons from occurring. And we have seen how Americans from all walks of

life can come together as one. We are committed to building on the

progress we have seen to date and to eliminating the divisions within our

society. The Federal effort to prosecute the arsonists, rebuild the burned

houses of worship, prevent more fires and heal racial divides continues.

There is more work to be done. We are committed to seeing the task

completed.

Acknowledgment

The co-chairs of the Task Force would like to thank all of the

investigators, prosecutors, state and local officials and others who have

worked tirelessly and so well over the course of the past two years as

these investigations have proceeded. We would also like to thank our

partners in these efforts at the Department of Housing and Urban

Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Community

Relations Service.

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