THE TELEGRAPH: A church whose members celebrate the deaths of soldiers as proof that the war in Iraq is a punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality has been ordered to pay $10.9m (£5.2m) in damages to a grieving father.
Albert Snyder sued the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Marine Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.
Church members routinely picket funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan with signs reading "God hates you" and "Thank God for dead soldiers".
The defence said it planned to appeal, and Shirley Phelps-Roper, a church leader, said the members would continue to picket military funerals.
Earlier this year she said: "Our goal is to help the nation connect the dots. You turn this nation over to the fags and our soldiers come home in body bags."
Anti-gay US church ordered to pay $10.9m (more) By Sally Peck and agencies
