By ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press Writer Roxana Hegeman, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 34 mins ago
WICHITA, Kan. – The man charged with murdering a high-profile abortion doctor claimed from his jail cell Sunday that similar violence was planned around the nation for as long as the procedure remained legal, a threat that comes days after a federal investigation launched into his possible accomplices.

A Justice Department spokesman said the threat was being taken seriously and additional protection had been ordered for abortion clinics last week. But a leader of the anti-abortion movement derided the accused shooter as "a fruit and a lunatic."

Scott Roeder called The Associated Press from the Sedgwick County jail, where he's being held on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault in the shooting of Dr. George Tiller one week ago.

"I know there are many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal," Roeder said. He would not elaborate.

Tiller's clinic in Wichita was among only a few in the U.S. that perform third-trimester abortions. He was shot while serving as an usher at the Lutheran church he attended.

Asked if he shot Tiller, Roeder replied that he could not comment about that and said he needed to clear everything with his lawyer.

Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a written statement Sunday that "we take this matter seriously, which is why the Attorney General ordered increased protection of appropriate people and facilities last week."

Tiller's clinic had been a target of regular demonstrations by abortion opponents. Most were peaceful, but his clinic was bombed in 1986 and he was shot in both arms in 1993. In 1991, a 45-day "Summer of Mercy" campaign organized by Operation Rescue drew thousands of abortion opponents to Wichita, and there were more than 2,700 arrests.

Jim Cross, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, did not immediately comment Sunday on Roeder's statement.

The Justice Department opened an investigation Friday to see if the gunman who killed Tiller had accomplices. The DOJ said its Civil Rights Division and the U.S. attorney's office in Kansas will investigate whether the killing violated a 1994 law creating criminal penalties for violent or damaging conduct toward abortion providers and their patients.

An attorney for the Tiller family, Dan Monnat, said he wasn't sure they should be dignifying Roeder's actions and threats with a response "every time he makes a hare-brained phone call."

"I am hopeful that state and federal authorities, including Homeland Security, will give Mr. Roeder and his information a deserving response," Monnat said, declining to elaborate.

Nancy Keenan president of NARAL-Pro-Choice America, said Roeder's comments "continue to escalate that kind of activity, that kind of violence. Quite honestly, I think it's imperative for anti-choice groups to tone down that rhetoric and keep the more extreme elements in their movement form copying Scott Roeder."

A funeral was held Saturday for Tiller. Most anti-abortion groups avoided the service, having denounced Tiller's shooting.

Troy Newman, president of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, read about Roeder's statement and e-mailed The Associated Press, saying: "This guy is a fruit and a lunatic."

Roeder, a 51-year-old abortion opponent, was arrested a few hours after the shooting just outside Kansas City.

He told the AP he refused to talk to investigators when he was arrested, and has made no statements to police since then.

"I just told them I needed to talk to my lawyer," Roeder said.

In two separate calls to AP on Sunday morning, Roeder was far more talkative about his treatment at the Sedgwick County jail, complaining about "deplorable conditions in solitary" where he was kept during his first three days there.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Robert Hinshaw said that Roeder is receiving appropriate medical treatment.

"It is after all a jail, but a modern state-of-the-art facility with professional staff," Hinshaw said. "While Mr. Roeder may not care for being in the Sedgwick County jail, all of our conditions and policies are designed to provide safety and security for all inmates, staff and public at large."

Roeder said it was freezing in his cell. "I started having a bad cough. I thought I was going to have pneumonia," he said.

He said he called AP because he wanted to emphasize the conditions in the jail so that in the future suspects would not have to endure the same conditions.

Roeder also said he wanted the public to know he has been denied phone privileges for the past two days, and needed his sleep apnea machine.

*********************************************************************

someone died and he needs his sleep apnea machine?

They will no doubt end up giving this moron everything he wants to make his cell like a 5 star hotel. The prisons of today are just that, like hotels. Take away their tv's & radio's. Make prisons what they were meant to be, a place of punishment for doing the crime.

I find it ironic that the die hard pro lifers have committed such violent acts against pro choicers, yet the pro choicers have never committed any violence against the pro lifers. Hmmmmmmmm

extremists go to extremes

even the pro-life organizations are calling this guy a nut

Let's just pray he doesn't get outta a murder charge cause he's a nut.

what's worse is he made accusations that there are more to come. IMO...this isn't just murder....it's a terrorist act

<<<Crazy people come from Kansas.

come on fear thats not true
Wisconsin is known for them.
Jeff Dahmer lived about 6 blocks from me

I hope this guy doesnt get an insanity plea or get a deal for squealing about these other plots he says are coming.

Dahmer just ate people and had sex with their corpse...I hardly call that crazy.

I'm glad they didnt find him insane and he got what he diserved in prison

Oh yeah, insanity plea was out the door. Dahmer knew what he was doing, he also knew what he was doing was wrong.

he would have to be declared insane and both the prosecution and the defense will have experts.

I don't think he told who, when, what, why, how just that there would be more

Quickest an most cost effective way to get rid of a serial killer or phedophile, stick em in GP, let the harded cons take care of things. Jail justice will take care of em.

I hope the prosecutors wont give him a lesser sentace if he does give them correct info to stop something. Then again he may not talk if there is no deal on the table. Gotta love how our justice system works.

I would love to see him get what he deserves...BUT if the info he has will save others...then they will make a deal to try to prevent more of this from happening

that is when being declared a terrorist kicks in

yes he did it

yes he is crazy

yes he is likely to do it again

yes he can be held in prolonged detention

that is supposedly what it is for

or if they made a clerical error in the paperwork

and that kind of thing

if never abused it could? be a good thing

but when was the last time the govt did not lie and abuse their power

the government????ummmm never adj lol. if there is a group that he is with planning on more of these and targeting these doctors or clinics....they are terrorists

not disagreeing was pointing out why they worded prolonged detention the way they did

gotcha