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US China Consulate
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AP TELEVISION
6 January 2014
1. Wide of FBI Special Agent David Johnson speaking at news conference
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Johnson, special agent in charge of San Francisco division, FBI:
"Fang self-surrendered to officers from the Daly City Police Department, at which time agents from the FBI, Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the San Francisco Police Department took him into custody."
3. Mid of journalists
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Johnson, special agent in charge of San Francisco division, FBI:
"We investigated this incident as a criminal matter, and there are no indications at this time to suggest that it was motivated by terrorism, politics or civil rights issues."
5. Wide of Johnson giving Police Chief Greg Suhr podium
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Greg Suhr, San Francisco Police Chief:
"It was so important to close this matter quickly so that anybody couldn't make of it more than it was. The fixed presence of the Police Department at the Consulate will remain. We cherish our relationships with all our consulates here in San Francisco, and want them to know that they are safe."
7. Wide of Johnson and other officials leaving news conference
8. Mid of Johnson and Suhr chatting
9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Greg Suhr, San Francisco Police Chief:
"We have a plan that's very good in place to ensure that our consular core is safe, including the Chinese consulate. Our northern station officer had just been by the consulate on this particular night and was the first responder to the event and actually got the fire down a couple times."
10. Wide exterior of Federal building in San Francisco
11. Close of Federal building sign, reading: (English) "Phillip Burton Federal Building and United States Court House, 450 Golden Gate Avenue"
FILE: 2 January 2014
12. Wide of Chinese consulate building with burned front door
13. Close of burned Chinese consulate sign, reading: (English/Mandarin) "Consulate General of the People's Republic of China"
14. Mid tilt down from top to bottom of consulate front door
The FBI announced on Monday the arrest of a Chinese national in the investigation of a fire set intentionally at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco.
FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson said Yan Feng, 39, was arrested on Friday after he called police in the San Francisco suburb.
The FBI arranged for his surrender.
The suspect, who has permanent resident status, made his first court appearance on Monday and was held on charges of causing damage to property of a foreign government and arson, Johnson said.
The FBI did not announce an alleged motive, saying the investigation is ongoing.
But Johnson said the FBI does not believe terrorism, politics or civil rights were involved.
"Right now, we're looking at this as purely a criminal matter," he said.
No one was hurt in the New Year's Day blaze that charred a doorway and damaged the lobby of the building.
Consulate workers said surveillance cameras showed a person exit a van with two buckets of gasoline, pour the fuel on the building and ignite the blaze.
The FBI said on Monday they recovered a white mini-van believed to be the one seen in the video.
The FBI said earlier that no bomb-making materials were found.
"It was so important to close this matter quickly so that anybody couldn't make of it more than it was," said Greg Suhr, the San Francisco Police Chief.
"We cherish our relationships with all our consulates here in San Francisco, and want them to know that they are safe."
Consulate spokesman Wang Chuan has condemned the attack and would not speculate on a motive.
In March 2008, a group of people poured flammable liquid on a security gate at the rear of the building and set it on fire. No injuries were reported.
That fire came on the day San Francisco supervisors heard public comment on China's human rights record months prior to the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
The issue arose because of the scheduled Olympic torch run through San Francisco.
The FBI said the latest fire was not related to the 2008 blaze.