L.A. Arsonist: Cultural Enrichment After All?

When the Los Angeles arsonist was first arrested, I mentioned that he was not a culture-enricher, since he clearly had a European name and was of German extraction. It seems I may have been too hasty: Harry Burkhart is indeed a German citizen, but was born in Chechnya.

Vlad was suspicious all along. As he said earlier today:

It’s not rocket science:

Car burning + “I hate America” = Muslim@90%

Mr. Burkhart is a suspect in a series of similar arson attacks in Frankfurt. However, he may not be extradited to Germany for a while, since Los Angeles prosecutors are planning to throw the book at him.

He also seems to have a screw or two loose. Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for uploading this video:


Below are excerpts from an article in Business Week with more information on the Harry Burkhart case:

Los Angeles Arson Suspect Needs Deputies’ Help to Stand in Court

Jan. 5 (Bloomberg) -- A man accused of setting a series of fires that terrorized Los Angeles over New Year’s weekend needed the help of deputies to stand at his first court appearance as new information surfaced about his home life.

Harry Burkhart, 24, appeared pale and unwell at the hearing at the state criminal courthouse in Los Angeles. He didn’t enter a plea on the 37 counts of arson that he’s charged with, saying only “yes” through a German interpreter when the judge asked whether he understood he had a right to be arraigned yesterday and when he agreed to a postponement.

California Superior Court Judge Upinder Kalra rescheduled the arraignment for Jan. 24 and set bail at $2.85 million, denying a request by prosecutors that Burkhart, a German citizen born in Chechnya, be held without bail. Burkhart’s public defender, Gustavo Sztraicher, said after the hearing that it was unlikely his client would be able to post bail. [emphasis added]

Sztraicher declined to comment on the charges.

After Burkhart’s mother was arrested on Dec. 29, he went on an arson spree that lasted until his own arrest on Jan. 2, Deputy District Attorney Sean Carney said at yesterday’s hearing. Burkhart may have set as many as 52 fires by putting incendiary devices under the engines of parked cars, many of which were parked in carports of apartment buildings, Carney said.

‘Hatred of Americans’

“He has a hatred of Americans,” Carney told the judge. “This defendant engaged in a campaign of terror.”