By Dave Andrusko
Along with releasing a video and photos, the FBI on Monday announced a reward of up to $25,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the arsonists who torched CompassCare Pregnancy Services in Buffalo, New York, according to Joe Bukuras. “CompassCare, now renovated, was one of dozens of pro-life pregnancy centers that was vandalized this past summer.”
The release of the footage and photos, Burkuras explained, “comes less than two months after the clinic’s CEO, Jim Harden, announced that he filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order the local police department to provide CompassCare with a copy of the vandalism footage — a resource that he could not get access to just by asking alone.” According to Harden, the lawsuit “is still ongoing.”
Harden also told the Catholic News Agency that “he is pleased that the FBI released the footage and some photos, although said he was not happy that the release came 161 days following the arson of his clinic,” Burkuras explained. “He said he’s skeptical of the FBI, especially given the severe criticism that the organization has received from pro-life lawmakers following a slate of arrests of pro-lifers.”
The photos “show two masked individuals at the scene during the vandalism,” Micaiah Bilger reported. “One of the individuals can be seen smashing the windows of the building with an object. One of the individuals can be seen throwing something at the building. Both individuals then flee the scene in a vehicle.”
CompassCare Pregnancy Services was heavily damaged and was “one of 10 arson attacks and numerous other acts of vandalism against pro-life groups and churches since May when news leaked that the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade,” Bilger wrote.
The FBI told Harden the video the public would see would be edited—it’s only 18 seconds long — because (as Harden said the FBI told him) “there’s key information in the video that they want to withhold from the public so that when they finally do get information leading to an arrest, the lack of information provided in the video can corroborate the testimony given by the person who’s giving the information about the perpetrators.”
An “alteration of the term ‘Jane’s Revenge’ was left on the clinic after the attack,” according to Bukuras. “ The term became a calling card of sorts of the pro-abortion vandals after a May leak from the Supreme Court showed that the justices were poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.”
Anyone with information regarding the attack, which took place June 7, is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), contact their local FBI office, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.