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SOME ANTI-ABORTION GROUPS

 
Published Oct. 23, 1994|Updated Oct. 8, 2005

FIRST OF TWO PARTS

Dozens of anti-abortion groups operate in the U.S. Most do not condone violence. Recently, however, the leaders of some groups or publishers of anti-abortion publications signed one of the petitions supporting two men accused of murdering abortion doctors in Pensacola. The petitions say such murders are justifiable homicide. Below are some of those who signed.

Christian Action Group

Leader: C. Roy McMillan, 51, former public relations director of an insurance company; his wife a former abortion doctor.

Headquarters: Jackson, Miss.

Support: Claims a mailing list of 4,500, including 700 pastors.

Notable detail: Hosted No Place to Hide campaign to run Mississippi's last abortion doctor, Joseph Booker, out of business. "The noose of the pro-life movement is tightening around Booker's neck," McMillan has said. "His days are numbered."

Missionaries to the Pre-Born

Leaders: Matthew Trewhella, 34, an Assembly of God minister and convicted arsonist, and Joe Foreman, former founder of Operation Rescue. Both men say they would ask people to leave the group if they advocated violence. Foreman later removed his name from petition.

Headquarters: Milwaukee, Wis.

Support: Unknown. Claims to have missionaries in several states.

Notable Detail: In May, Trewhella urged crowd at a Taxpayer's Party convention to form Christian militias and instead of teaching children games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, teach them how to shoot guns. At Christmas, he told his congregation: "I want you to do the most loving thing...I want you to buy each of your children an SKS rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition."

Pro-Life Virginia

Leader: Donald Spitz, 47, a Pentecostal evangelist.

Headquarters: Chesapeake, Va.

Support: Claims a mailing list of 500 and 15 to 25 "intense activists."

Notable detail: Spitz changed the group's name from Rescue Virginia after being kicked out of Operation Rescue for his support of Paul Hill and lethal violence. Spitz foresees a "civil war" over abortion and says that non-violence is passe. "The pro-life movement is getting its butt kicked," he said, predicting an "underground movement" of people willing to kill for the cause.

Advocates for Life Ministries

Leaders: Andrew Burnett, 41, a part-time printer; Paul deParrie, magazine editor

Headquarters: Portland, Oregon

Support: Claims 4,000 circulation of their glossy magazine, Life Advocate.

Notable Detail: Group has an $8.2-million judgment against it for trespassing at a Portland clinic and harassing patients. Life Advocate had cover stories on Michael Griffin, Shelley Shannon and Paul Hill after they shot doctors, and editorials supporting the accused.

Life Enterprises, Unlimited

Leader: Father David Trosch, 58, Catholic priest.

Headquarters: Mobile, Ala.

Support: He has a mailing list of several hundred, but no members.

Notable Detail: Trosch gained notoriety after trying to publish a cartoon showing Michael Griffin shooting a doctor about to perform an abortion. Trosch predicts "bloody civil insurrection" that will target not only doctors, but judges, lawmakers and abortion rights groups.

Capitol Area Christian News

Publisher: Michael Bray, 42, Lutheran Reformation pastor and convicted abortion clinic bomber.

Headquarters: Bowie, Md.

Support: Has 10 families in his congregation, won't disclose circulation of newsletter but says it's under 1000.

Notable Detail: Bray is awaiting publication of his book, A Time to Kill, about his support of lethal force. His sister-in-law, Donna Bray, 34, is raising money for Paul Hill's family.

Queens Pro-Life Group

Leader: Henry Felisone, 56, an evangelical street preacher and former electronics technician.

Headquarters: Flushing, N.Y.

Support: Claims to have 100 active members and 1,000 nationwide who lend support. Also collects money on the streets of New York.

Notable Detail: Felisone says "every human being is a potential killer. You can say, "I'll never do that,' but it's meaningless." Signing a statement eschewing violence "makes no sense if you believe abortion is murder."

Project Awareness

Leader: Bill Koehler, 48, a Lutheran layman and machine designer.

Headquarters: North Bergen, N.J.

Support: From two to 50 people show up for protests but Koehler claims a mailing list of 600.

Notable detail: Pickets doctors' homes, harasses them in supermarkets, restaurants, airports. Also pickets homes of judges, clergy and legislators. "Pensacola, God bless it, happens to be one of the few places in the country where people are taking to heart what that phrase means: "If abortion is murder, act like it's murder,' " Koehler said.

Prayer & Action Weekly News

Publisher: David Leach, 48, a part-time trumpet player and three-time losing candidate for state representative.

Headquarters: Des Moines, Iowa.

Circulation: 250.

Notable detail: The News also includes The Brockhoeft Report by convicted arsonist John Brockhoeft. Publishes stories and cartoons by Shelley Shannon, in prison for attempted murder of a Kansas doctor. Leach is author of controversial prayer for God to burn down a Planned Parenthood clinic. "(Authorities) fear who I might incite; they fear my deadly word processor."