The Unsorted BBS Collection/thegreatunsorted.tar/thegreatunsorted/texts/txtfiles_misc/news104

Text File | 1993-03-05 | 2KB | 29 lines

03/03/1993 By ARNIE STAPLETON  Associated Press Writer   WACO, Texas
(AP) -- The religious sect compound besieged by federal agents has
several buildings, most new or rebuilt, that are connected by tunnels,
reinforced by concrete and guarded by a lookout tower.
   "It didn't used to be that way," Ronnie Turnbough, a McLennan County
sheriff's investigator, said Wednesday. "It was just a bunch of small
little houses out there. They tore those down and put this fort up."
   The construction at the compound, known as Mount Carmel, began after
David Koresh wrested control of the Branch Davidian sect in 1987. Cult
members built a water tower, linked up old buildings and put together
new ones.
   "They have underground passages there," said Ted Royster, a special
agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. "The group had
the compound very heavily fortified." Cinderblock is stacked part way up
along some walls, police have said.
   The compound, painted a light peach color, is L-shaped with a long
dormitory building and square gymnasium that's also used for storage. A
four-story tower rises from the middle.
   The long building has an area called "the church" where Koresh
preached and followers and their children often watched videos.  Lumber
is stacked just downhill on one side of the compound.
   About a year ago, cult members started building a storm shelter but
heavy rains wrecked it, said Koresh's mother, Bonnie Haldemann, a
frequent visitor and former sect member.
   She said had only visited the dormitory building at the compound and
didn't know whether the tunnels existed. Turnbough said authorities had
aerial photographs showing the underground passages as they were being
built.