Radicals may be planning protest of soldier's funeral

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Family and friends readying themselves for Spc. Blake W. Hall's funeral can only hope it will not be hampered by media-hungry radicals.

On Aug. 21, Hall, a 20-year-old native of East Prairie, was killed near Baylough, Afghanistan, by a road side bomb referred to by the military as an "improvised explosive device."

On Thursday, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., began distributing fliers through its Web site claiming they will be protesting at his funeral. The flier, apparently titled "Thank God for IED's (Improvised Explosive Devices), claims that "God has become America's terrorist, killing Americans in strange lands."

The flier announces WBC's intention to picket Hall's funeral when the body is returned. It claims the explosive device which killed Hall is "like the IED America bombed Westboro Baptist Church with in a terroristic effort to stop WBC's anti-gay gospel preaching."

"It appears that it may happen, unfortunately," said Kathie Simpkins, East Prairie city administrator. "We haven't been contacted personally by them, they just have something on their Web site saying they are going to protest at the funeral. ... It's an unfortunate situation that the family will have to endure that possibility."

Hall's funeral date has not been scheduled yet. "We're still waiting for word on when he will be returned to the United States," Simpkins said.

"That's kind of the ironic part: Blake Hall actually died for their right to come and do what they want to do," she added. "The whole community is saddened by the possibility that they'll be here."

Simpkins said at other protests staged by the Kansas church, it has been under a dozen protesters that actually show up if any.