Church: FBI Steals

Victims of a break-in and burglary at a church which houses a Salvadoran refugee and a Central American activist group claim the U.S. government may have had a role in the incident.

"The U.S. government is complicit in these break-ins," said Bob Warren of the Central America Solidarity Association, whose office in the basement of the old Cambridge Baptist Church has been broken into six times in 16 months.

"If the government is not involved, why hasn't it carried out a full investigation of the crimes?" Warren asked Tuesday, saying there has been an inadequate response to the burglaries by local police and the FBI.

Church administrator Peggy Smith said this was the first time property had been stolen in the break-ins which began just prior to granting of sanctuary to a Salvadoran labor unionist at the church near Harvard University.

Cambridge Police Lt. Calvin Kantor said the investigation has come up with no suspects. He said he was skeptical of government involvement.

Reported missing were an electronic typewriter, a telephone and two answering machines worth an estimated $800.