The FBI has raided a string of churches in Texas and Georgia that are situated near US military bases that have been accused of targeting servicemen.
The agency confirmed that it had conducted a raid at Assembly of Prayer Christian Church, in Killeen, Texas, which is just six miles from the country’s biggest base, Fort Hood.
Agents also raided the House of Prayer Church in Hinesville, Georgia, which is located near Fort Stewart, and the Assembly of Prayer church in Augusta, Georgia, which is near Fort Gordon.
According to The Killeen Daily Herald, “Dozens of Google and Facebook reviews of the Killeen church refer to it as a ‘cult’ with a habit of recruiting Fort Hood soldiers.”
The FBI confirmed that it had been involved in an operation in Killeen to KWTX.
“I can confirm the FBI was executing court authorized law enforcement activity today in the vicinity of the intersection of Massey St. and E. Rancier Ave., in Killeen, Texas. No additional information will be released at this time,” FBI Special Agent Carmen Portillo said in a statement to the news channel.
Georgia’s WTOC reported that the House of Prayer Christian Church in Hinesville “has been the center of controversy in the community for years, including protests.”
The news station said that in 2017 former church members came forward to allege they had been abused by the church and separated from their families.
“Many of the protesters expressed their belief that the church is a cult,” WTOC reported
“The concern is that he has made us merchandise,” former member Jessica Wright told WTOC. “It’s no longer a church. It’s just a fraudulent, money-making empire.”
Fort Hood is the largest US military base anywhere in the world at 340 square miles in size and has a population of more than 33,000 people.
