Texarkana - A teenage follower of jailed evangelist Tony Alamo talked openly about her beliefs, the church, and her pastor. The conversation comes in a video that was leaked on the internet. We first aired video of the child welfare interview Wednesday on 5NEWS at 10, and now we're bringing you more from the nearly two hour tape that was leaked.
You'll recall that Alamo's compound in Fouke, Arkansas was raided on September 20th...and children were seized by the state that same day. Alamo is accused of taking girls across state lines for sexual purposes, but it's a charge that the 16-year-old vehemently denies. The teen told the interviewer that she's never seen him do anything that would be a sin against the Bible. She told the story of a man who reportedly had AIDS and says he was healed after Pastor Tony prayed for him.
"You know if you get an answer from God like that he's not going to be sinning. Everything he says in the messages I listen to it and believe it. That's why I'm here. I want to help," she said.
The teen told the welfare worker that she has never been touched inappropriately and is a virgin. The girl said that if she wasn't, she would tell someone; she would tell the interviewer and went on to say that she had nothing to hide. According to her, Alamo has never "done anything to me". She said the same of her friends, and asks the question, 'what interest and old man would have in little kids?'
Julie Munsell, a DHS spokeswoman, said it appeared a family member passed the video along to a web site.
