Ryan Reeder
History 490
William Hamblin
February 20, 2001
I. Introduction
A. Question and Thesis-Politically motivated attacks on the church are rare, why Latin America, 1989-1992?
B. Background and Context-Focus on topic
1. Historical Attacks against LDS Church missionaries
-Motivations
1. Anti-Mormon
a. Joseph Standing
b. Tennessee Murders
2. Disturbed Individuals
a. 1975-Texas
b. 1978-South Carolina
3. Random Killings
a. Dublin Ireland-1992
b. Ufa Russia-1998
c. Buenos Aires-1998 (attempted)
4. Politically motivated
a. Elders Wilson and Balls Bolivia 1989
b. Ugarte and Hidalgo Peru 1990
c. Zapata Peru 1991
2. Other politically motivated attacks during this period on Church
a. Other attacks against individuals
-Dominican Republic shooting
b. On property
-Church bombings in Chile and Peru
C. The case of the assassination of Elders Jefferey Brent Ball and Todd Ray Wilson in La Paz Bolivia on May 24, 1989 as an incident of violence against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Latin America between 1988 and 1992 that was a result of opposition to US policy in Latin America during that period.
II. May 24, 1989
-Detailed account of assassination
III. Response
A. U.S.
1. FBI Investigation
2. Statements from members of Utah's Congressional Delegation
B. Bolivia
1. Press Reaction
2. Public Reaction
3. Capture and Trial of Suspects
4. Results
C. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1. Deseret News and Church News articles
2. Funerals
3. Eventual scaling back and pulling out American Missionaries in Bolivia
IV. Terrorist Activity
A. Revolutionary Groups
1. Zarate Willka
a. Took responsibility for assassinations
b. Earlier attacks on Secretary of State George Schultz, La Paz embassy
2. Tupac Amaru
a. Accused of murders of Elders Ugarte and Hidalgo
b. Other Activities
c. Possible responsibility for Elder Zapata murder
3. Other
a. Chapel bombings in Peru and Bolivia
b. Other attacks
B. Motivations for Action
1. United States involvement in Latin America
a. Panama Invasion December 21, 1989
b. Gulf War
c. Drug War
d. Other
2. Church seen as a tool of "Yankee Imperialism"
a. Rapid Growth
b. Large Chapels
c. Visibility of Missionaries
C. Thus, the Church is an easy, visible target for groups to target the United States
V. Conclusion
A. Decline in Attacks
B. Return of American Missionaries to Peru and Bolivia
-Pattern of return
C. Tie together/ wrap up, Conclude
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