Burbank Probes Reports Linking Anti-Catholic Posters to Alamo Group

Burbank officials have begun an investigation of allegations that hundreds of anti-Catholic propaganda posters glued onto telephone poles and traffic control boxes around Burbank and other communities are being distributed by the controversial Tony and Susan Alamo Christian Foundation.

The posters claim that the Roman Catholic Church is manipulating major newspapers, magazines and government agencies to cover up “crimes that they have done and are currently doing”--the same message, with similar wording, as that contained in a leaflet distributed nationwide by the religious group, based in Alma, Ark. But city officials said they have been unable so far to link the posters directly with the Alamo group.

“We’re still trying to see if there is a connection, but we have not been able to gather any evidence on who may be responsible,” assistant Burbank prosecutor Terry Stevenson said. “The posters are similar to some of the literature given out by the Alamo organization, but the posters really don’t give any indication of who’s behind them.”

Archdiocese Claims Proof

But Father Joseph Battaglia, director of communciations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, said the church had linked the posters with the Alamo Foundation. “One of our people saw one being put up a while ago, and we were able to trace the license number of the car these folks were driving back to the Alamo Foundation,” he said.

Tony Alamo, the foundation’s leader, would neither confirm nor deny that his group was putting up the posters.

“We always state that we wish to remain as mysterious on the subject of the posters as the Vatican chooses to remain mysterious on their control of publications and government,” Alamo said in an interview. “However, I think that it’s wonderful that someone is putting up these posters. Though I may disagree with the manner with which they are being put up, the message should be relayed to the world.”

High Cost of Removal

About 90 posters have been glued to traffic-control boxes around Burbank during the past month. Burbank officials estimated that removing the posters would cost the city $9,000 because of the time involved in chiseling the posters off and repainting the boxes.

The posters have also been seen in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, Pomona and Santa Monica, Battaglia said, adding, “This has been going on for quite a while.”

The poster is topped by the word “WARNING” in large type, followed by tightly packed, small type that reads: “The following organizations and publications are secretly owned or controlled by the Vatican.”

Among the media organizations named as “secret Vatican-controlled media” are all three major television networks, Playboy and People magazines, the Los Angeles Times and “many national magazine and newspaper chains.”