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UNITED STA’ TES GOVERNMENT Memorandum ae = Mr, Belmont pave: September 17, 1963 Yes 2— eae A. Rof J Fo fal Boom yn Gandy ” sunecr: UNKNOWN SUBJECTS Lh Nh » BOMBING OF SIXTEENTH VA STREET BAPTIST CHURCH” BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA SEPTEMBER 15, 1963" RACIAL MATTERS ~~~ < The following information is submitted concerning our efforts to identify the perpetrators of the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church at Birmingham, Alabama, on 9/15/63, * A systematic crime scene search of the area outside the church and a minute search of the immediate bomb area by Bureau Agents and Laboratory representatives on 9/16/63 disclosed no physical evidence such as a safety fuse, blasting caps, wires, fragments of a timing device or other bomb accessories. The examination of the crime scene area is continuing and debris is being combed for material which was closest to the point of explosion for subsequent laboratory examination for explosive residue. - The Birmingham Office is proceeding with the thorough neighborhood investigation and thus far has. interviewed 65 residents and shopkeepers in the vicinity of the church who were in the area at the time of the explosion and heard the blast. However, none of these individuals was able to furnish any information of value and stated that they did not notice anything out of the ordinary prior to or after the blast. ¢ Owners of all of the automobiles known to have peen "parked i in the vicinity of the church at the time of the explosion have been located and interviewed but none was able to furnish any information of possible asistaneeys b aN An anonymous telephone Call was received ts our Birmingham Office from a woman on 9/16/63 advising that on-the previous day she hadobserved two Negroes as a gasoline station on the south side of Birming' te fe Claims that she saw the wh: é ian give the Negtoes money Be in Fe eee rac tie from them a box containing seven'sticks of dynamite, This informa checked, idly as possibl d efforts are being made to locate ‘Aiding, for D et REC 3 A — Ce 1- Mr, DeLoa TFS ERP 1s relhble, 7 Z | geP * we ,