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poe eee .|agents to take over active in- vestigation, but under the 1960|' Signs of U. Puts FBI in By MIRIAM OTTENBERG Bur Staff Writer, FBI agents moved in on the Negro church bombing in Bir- mingham Sunday because there was an immediate indi- jeation a Federal law had been [violated, an FBI spokesman sald today. ——nne i ‘The FBI declined to disclose), What information prompted: Jaw giving the FBI jurisdiction in bombing cases under the dynamite’had been taken cts were crossing State lines avoid capture or prosecu- n. . Although there have been More than a score of bomb- ings in Birmingham, the FBI has played a major investiga- tive role only in four cases. |The FBI emphasized that it in- vestigates only where there evidence of a Federal viol: tion. . FBI at All Bomb Scenes ‘The FBI has gone to the, scene of all the recent bomb- ings but picked up the invyestl- gation in these three cases be- fore the church bombing: The May 11 bombing of the home of the Rev. A. D. King. The bombing of the A. G. Gas- ton Motel on the same night. The September 14 bombing of civil rights attorney. Mr. Shores’ home had been bombed @ month earlier, but the FBI did not enter the investigation in that case. Although Hmited in fits own investigative role to the cases indicating direct violation of Federa! laws, the FBI has of- fered tts laboratory and iden- tification facilities to local State leads. The FBI can and does in- vestigate bombings and similar violence under other Federal laws. Thus, FBI agents inves- tigated the bombing of a Free- dom Riders’ bus at Anniston, ‘Ale, as a violation of inter- state commerce laws and in- vestigated church burnings in Georgia as a violation of laws [ and in Birmingham particul- Civil Rights Act, tt would have’ to be an indication’ that the!, across State lines or that sus-|" f. [Productive because the bombs the home of Arthur Shores, a’ police and has pursued out-of-|' 5 S. Violation Bomb Cés: eee edhe FTF aw _Gnes Are Scarce None of the four cases the! FEI has under active investf- gation hes been solved. The difficulties in bombing cases ; jare legion. Most of the usual F investigative techniques oan- not be used. — There is no gun to trace, arly, dynamite is readily avail- able because of its widespread use in industry. The search of the crime scene is usually non- have destroyed such promising, evidence as fingerprints. The scene itself is usually trampled use of the need to re- ve the injured. Informers are practically the ly source of clues. That's iy FBI agents and local police have taken on the jgb fof interviewing literally thi sands of potential witn (9) — eactosus 1B intimidation-ef,vot- Lo ‘plosives interstate with . the” linowledge or intent to use ex-~ plosives to destroy -propetty (“for the ‘purpose of interfer- Hing with its use for eduai- tional, religious, charitable, iyesidential, business or ctvdc ‘objectives or of intimidatt ‘any person pursing , such ob (Jectives.” 0. ct “Possible Death Fenalty 3 femme penalties provide tim- prisonment for not more thin Jone year or up to $1,000 tihe or both. If personal injuty results, the prison sentence oan go up to 10 years and a fine up to $10,000. If death Its from the bombing, as it didn the Birmingham church, im- ‘prisonment can go up to life, or the court may impose the death penalty on recommen: dation of a jury. The 1960. law also provides that possession or use of an explosive to’damage propetty covered by the Civil Rights ‘Act creates an assumption that “explosive was transported t- terstate. But a person cannbt be convicted under this lew unless there is evidence asite from the presumption that Btate lines were —_—— oie ; penta’ Jor sr® / The Evening Star Washington, D. C. September 17, 1963