A Kansas-based church notorious for picketing gay pride parades and funerals was the target of an arson attempt, according to its founder.

A garage housing the Westboro Baptist Church’s infamous ‘God Hates Fags’ picket signs caught fire early on Saturday morning, prompting church leader Fred Phelps to accuse “fags” of arson.

In a video statement, Phelps said either “fags” or “fag sympathisers” were responsible for the blaze, which caused A$11,860 worth of damage.

He went on to rail against “unfaithful devils in black robes” (judges) and the “filthy, fag-riddled military”.

However, Leona McQueen, a 91-year-old neighbour of the church, told local TV news reporters she suspected the Phelps clan itself started the fire as part of a ploy to scare her into selling her adjoining property.

“They keep claiming that this property is theirs, and it is not theirs,” McQueen said.

“They keep wanting to buy me, but I don't want to sell it. I don't know if whether they are trying to push me out. I don't know."

However, church spokesperson Shirley Phelps-Roper said her neighbour’s accusations were “ridiculous”.

“The fire was started by someone as we slept,” Phelps-Roper told KSNT-TV News.

“Thankfully, the Lord our God keeps us in all our ways. The noise that they made the fire was so big and voluminous the popping and cracking woke people up."

But while mystery surrounds the cause of the Westboro fire, police in Knoxville Tennessee have arrested a man who allegedly shot and killed two people and injured seven others at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church on Sunday morning.

According to police, Jim Adkisson, 58, had outlined his hatred for liberals and gays in a four page letter he left in his car, which was parked in the church grounds.

The church was known for its liberal attitude towards GLBTs.

Adkisson has been charged with first degree murder.

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