| B.C. polygamists praying for Texas kin Leader says many in Bountiful concerned over U.S. raid | |
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By Dirk Meissner The Canadian Press Toronto Star | |
BOUNTIFUL, B.C.–Winston Blackmore, the unapologetic leader of a polygamist community in British Columbia, says his people are praying for their "relatives" in Texas. The spiritual leader of the colony at Bountiful, B.C., says he doesn't know if any of the children seized by U.S. authorities from a similar Texas compound earlier this month are from his commune. But in a rare interview on the Bountiful property, Blackmore said he's concerned as a parent. "Any parent should be concerned about every child, whether they are Canadian or not," he said during a 20-minute conversation at the commune's rodeo grounds. "A lot of those people are our relatives and our friends and I'm concerned about them. I'm sure sorry that (the raid) happened." More than 400 children apprehended April 3 at a Texas enclave of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints may be subject to genetic tests to sort out family relationships that have confounded welfare authorities. B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal has said federal government officials told him at least 15 Canadian children in Texas are likely linked to Bountiful. Department of Foreign Affairs officials declined comment on the weekend. Texas District Judge Barbara Walther said Friday the apprehended children would be kept in custody while the state investigates allegations of abuse stemming from the teachings of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Officials said they've had difficulty determining how the children and adults are related because of evasive or changing answers. Blackmore said the actions of the Texas authorities don't seem right. "I imagine that in Creston there's different cases of abuse, but I don't think they'd go arrest everyone in Creston," he said, referring to the nearest B.C. community to Bountiful. "I don't think it's Canadian. It shouldn't even happen in Texas." Blackmore said it's been six years since he's had contact with members of the breakaway Mormon sect in Texas. Several hundred people are estimated to live on the Bountiful commune located less than a kilometre from the U.S. border. | |
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TheStar.com Originally published April 21, 2008 | |
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