Abortion Debate Rages: Tiller Called "Mass Murderer"

NEW YORK (CBS) The murder of George Tiller, a Wichita, Kan., doctor who performed late-term abortions, has sent many in the pro-life movement looking for ways to distance themselves from the violence.

Not Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, a pro-life organization.

"George Tiller was a mass murderer," Terry told the National Press Club. "He reaped what he sowed."

Terry staunchly defended the pro-life movement, adding, "Pro-life leaders and the pro-life movement are not responsible for George Tiller's death."

Terry also wrote a strongly worded op-ed piece for CBSNews.com in which he equates Tiller to a Nazi war criminal.

Operation Rescue has condemned the killing as vigilantism and "a cowardly act."

Someone identifying themselves as Scott Roeder posted a message on Operation Rescue's website in 2007. The poster asked if anyone had thought of attending Tiller's church to ask the doctor and other worshippers about his work. "Doesn't seem like it would hurt anything but bring more attention to Tiller," the post said.

Operation Rescue's president, Troy Newman, said Roeder "has never been a member, contributor or volunteer." He may have posted to the organization's open Internet blog, Newman said, but so have thousands of nonmembers.