Westboro Baptist Church, an independent Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas, known for its extreme stances on a number of social and political issues, released a statement Wednesday announcing plans to picket Friday's funeral for a Florida family killed in a plane crash in Alabama last weekend.

Seven members of the Teutenberg family — Fred and Terresa Teutenberg and their children 10-year-old Will, 9-year-old Brendon, 6-year-old Ellie, 4-year-old Peyton and 2-year-old Emma — died in a plane crash on Saturday while returning to Florida from St. Louis.

They tried landing the Cessna C421 at an airport in Demopolis after it lost its right engine, an FAA spokeswoman said. The plane crashed in a densely wooded area near the airport killing everyone aboard.

According to a Westboro church release, the group plans to picket the memorial ceremony for the family, "killed in a plane crash by an angry God for the sins of a wicked nation."

Niceville, Florida, Methodist Church, which is hosting the memorial service, released a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened by the choice of the members of Westboro Baptist Church, should they decide to attend, to protest and attempt to use this tragedy to advance their agenda."





Statement from Westboro Baptist Church (warning, includes hateful language): Teutenberg family plane crash funeral.pdf



Westboro Baptist Church is often described as a hate group and is monitored by the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center, among others. Its leader is Fred Phelps and the congregation consists mostly of members of his family.

The church has been most actively involved in the anti-gay movement since 1991. In addition to anti-gay protests at military funerals, the organization pickets celebrity funerals and other high-profile events.

What do you think of Wesboro Baptist Church and its tactics? Let us know in the comments.