AP TELEVISION
San Francisco, California - 6 Januray 2014
1. Wide shot FBI Special Agent David Johnson speaks at news conference
2. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) David Johnson, special agent in charge of San Francisco division, FBI
"Fang self-surrendered to officers at 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. Medium shot of TV cameras filming news conference
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 shot of Johnson gives Police Chief Greg Suhr the 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 shot Johnson and other officials leave news conference
8. Medium shot of Johnson and Suhr chat
9. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Greg Suhr, San Francisco Police Chief
"We have a plan that's 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 shot Federal building in San Francisco
11. Close up of Federal building sign
FILE
AP TELEVISION
San Francisco, California -- 2 January 2014
12. Wide shot Chinese consulate building with burned front door
13. Close up of Burned Chinese consulate sign
14. Mid shot pan from top to bottom of consulate front door
:
The FBI announced 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, of Daly City was arrested 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 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 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.
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.
