Sweden Feuds With Anti-Gay Church in U.S.

Sweden's royal family has consulted lawyers over an abusive Web site set up by a sect of fundamentalist Christians who style themselves "the most hated family in America."

King Carl XVI Gustaf provoked the anger of the anti-homosexual Westboro Baptist Church after a Swedish pastor was convicted for inciting hatred against homosexuals two years ago.

The American church's founder, pastor Fred Phelps, responded by setting up a "God hates Sweden" Web site, celebrating the deaths of Swedes and describing Carl XVI Gustaf as "King of Sodomite Whores."

"The popinjay King of Sweden — a moral titmouse in the plumage of a peacock who lives lavishly with kids on Sweden's largest social security check — is King of Fags," says the site.

Nina Eldh, a spokesman for Sweden's royal court, said the palace was looking at possible action under Swedish hate crime laws.

"We are looking at what can be done, though there is a problem with international Web sites," she said.

"We have reacted through lawyers, saying this is a crime under Swedish law."

But Shirley Phelps-Roper, the daughter of the church's founder, was unapologetic yesterday. "They say they have human rights in Sweden. You can be any kind of filthy pervert, but you cannot preach what the Christian scriptures say," she told the Daily Telegraph.

"They are threatening us, but we are servants of God, we are not going away. We are for peace, but when we speak the plain word of God, they are for war."

Mrs. Phelps-Roper also defended attacks on Sweden's "immodest" Princess Madeleine, who was singled out after the Swedish king took legal action over the Internet publication of her in a revealing dress.

Mr. Phelps, whose Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, is mainly made up of family members, has tested American free speech laws to the limit. He and his supporters claim that American soldiers are dying because America has given rights to homosexuals.