Abortion Clinics And Federal Agents Are On A Heightened State Of Alert
Abortion Clinics on Edge After Eric Rudolph Manifesto Justifying Use of Violence
By Daniel Yee / The Associated Press
Abortion clinics around the country are bracing for attacks after Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph issued his manifesto justifying the use of violence to stop "the worst massacre in human history."
"When one of these extremists puts out a call to action, oftentimes, others do try to follow in their footsteps," said Vicki Saporta, head of the National Abortion Federation, which represents 400 U.S. clinics. "He clearly is speaking to the extremists who believe in justifiable homicide."
Rudolph will get four life sentences without parole after pleading guilty Wednesday to carrying out the deadly bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic and attacks at two abortion clinics and a gay nightclub. The blasts killed two people and wounded 123.
In an 11-page manifesto handed out by his attorneys, Rudolph said the Olympic bombing was an attempt to embarrass the United States in front of the world for allowing abortion.
"Because I believe that abortion is murder, I also believe that force is justified ... in an attempt to stop it," Rudolph wrote.
Abortion clinics and federal agents are on a heightened state of alert.
"We're making sure our liaisons have kept up with the clinics and to make sure the security clinics have is up to date," said Mike Campbell, spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "Most of them are very cognizant they can be a target of anybody who doesn't like abortion."
Anti-abortion groups condemned Rudolph's endorsement of violence.
"It looks to me as if he views himself as a one-man army against the entire world or at least the United States," said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue. "I would concur with his opinion that abortion is murder. However, his frustration that leads to violence is never an acceptable way to accept this."
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Posted by Editor at April 14, 2005 07:09 PM
