2 Suspects Arrested in Church Fire Probe

March 8, 2006 — -- Two college students suspected of setting a series of church fires in the South last month have been arrested and are being held on arson charges, while a third student suspected of involvement is still being sought.

Benjamin Nathan Moseley and Russell Lee Debusk Jr., students at Birmingham-Southern College, appeared in federal court in Birmingham, Ala., today. They have a second hearing scheduled for Friday.

The nine Baptist churches are mostly in isolated locations. Five in Bibb County, south of Birmingham, burned early Feb. 3, while four in the western part of the state burned early Feb. 7. A 10th arson at a Baptist church on Feb. 11 is not believed to be connected to the others, officials said.

Authorities are also looking for Matthew Lee Cloyd, a student at another school in Birmingham.

According to an affidavit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Moseley told agents that he had gone to Bibb County with Cloyd and Debusk in Cloyd's Toyota sport utility vehicle on Feb. 2 and set fire to five churches.

Cloyd allegedly said Moseley set the fires "as a joke, and it got out of hand," according to a witness quoted in the affidavit.

The four fires in the western Alabama churches were set "as a diversion to throw investigators off," Moseley allegedly said, admitting that the attempt "obviously did not work," according to the affidavit.

Gov. Bob Riley said the church arsons did not appear to be "any type of conspiracy against organized religion" or the Baptist faith. With the arrests, he said, "the faith-based community can rest a little easier."

The Rev. Jim Parker, who heads the Ashby Baptist Church in Brierfield, which was burned to the ground, said he was glad that arrests had been made.

"They seem to think these are the right people, so we're very relieved," Parker said. "We're very relieved by it all, and I think we can move forward now."

Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., agreed. "While all three are entitled to have their day in court," he said, "weare very hopeful that this is the end to the fear that has been rampant in West Alabama."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.