BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Investigators believe a pair of men in their20s or 30s, likely 'bosom buddies,' are responsible for a string ofchurch fires in rural Alabama, as authorities confirmed the latestblaze at a Baptist church was the 10th case of arson.
The latest fire severely damaged Beaverton Freewill Baptist Churchin northwest Alabama, near the Mississippi line. The white, wood-frame church sat about 150 yards off a two-lane county road and hadan alarm system that alerted officials to the blaze.
'It's definitely arson,' state fire marshal spokesman Ragan Ingramsaid Sunday.
Fire marshals are investigating whether the Saturday afternoonblaze was linked to the other nine this month, which all were set inthe pre-dawn hours. Last week, Gov. Bob Riley said the nine earlierchurch fires appear linked.
A federal investigator said witness reports and behavioralprofilers led authorities to believe that two white men wereresponsible for the fires. Witnesses said they saw two men in a sportutility vehicle near a number of the fires.
'They're not youths or teens. It's probably someone in their 20sor 30s. We believe they're pretty much inseparable. They're somethinglike bosom buddies,' said Eric Kehn, a spokesman for the federalAlcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency.
Evidence from one of the earlier fires indicates the perpetratorsmay have been briefly trapped inside the building and may have beenhurt, said Jim Cavanaugh, ATF regional director.
Investigators have said they don't know a motive, but there is noracial pattern.
