APNewsBreak: Wichita doctors to offer abortions

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City abortion clinic has been training two doctors to provide abortion services in Wichita in the wake of the shooting death of Dr. George Tiller, a clinic spokesman told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Drs. Mila Means and Greg Linhardt decided to learn how to perform abortions at their Wichita practices after Tiller was shot to death by anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder in May 2009, said Aid For Women spokesman Jeff Peterson. Abortion services haven't been offered in Wichita since Tiller's death.

"The reason we are training is for George," Peterson said.

The Aid for Women website lists both Means and Linhardt as doctors who perform abortions on some days at the Kansas City, Kan., clinic.

Tiller was one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions. But a spokesman for Means said late-term procedures will not be performed at her clinic, which plans to begin offering abortions sometime in the middle of next year.

"There will be no late-term abortions performed — ever," said Means' spokesman Christian Frederick.

Linhardt did not return a call for comment Wednesday evening.

Anti-abortion group Operation Rescue has urged abortion opponents to gather outside Means' office Saturday to pray and protest the plans to offer abortion services.

"We are saddened by the news that someone would want to bring abortion back to Wichita," Operation Rescue president Troy Newman said in a written release posted on the group's website.

Frederick said Means' clinic will be using all "legal force" to ensure no one would be hurt at their office.