EVENT TICKET

Monday, January 2, 2012

N.Y. police probe attacks on mosque, house that serves as Hindu temple

N.Y. police probe attacks on mosque, house that serves as Hindu temple


(CNN) -- Video released Monday shows a person throwing a Molotov cocktail toward a residence in New York City that also serves as a Hindu temple in one of three such attacks reported by police in the city.
The other two targets on Sunday night were an Islamic center and a bodega, all of them in the Queens borough of the city, authorities said Monday.
In a fourth incident, a fire damaged part of a house, but it was too early to tell whether it was a result of a Molotov cocktail and whether it was related to the other incidents, the New York Police Department said.
No one was injured in any of the incidents, according to officials.
Two video clips that were released Monday afternoon depict the scene around the residence that also functions as a Hindu temple. One shows a car slowing down, while another shows a person hurling a single, flaming object over a fence and toward the building. A fire can then be seen in the residence's front yard.
An official at the mosque that was targeted, the Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center, described how about 75 community members were heading out of the center when some spotted a fire and a light near the front door. They then found "two Molotov bombs" -- broken bottles containing flammable liquid.
"Thank God, nobody was injured and we're OK," said Maan Al-Sahlani, minister of religion at the center, which is located along the Van Wyck Expressway. "It's not major damage -- maybe because of the rain, maybe because our people tried to put down the fire."
This was the first such attack on the Islamic center, which opened in 1989, according to Al-Salhani. While he admitted that some are worried, he did not blame anyone and noted that Muslims weren't the only ones attacked.
"Really, we don't accuse any party or any religion or any people," Al-Sahlani said. "We just talk to the police department (and) they are working very hard to find out what's going on ... and hopefully they will get (the perpetrator or perpetrators) soon."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo condemned the attacks in a statement Monday, saying such acts "go against everything we stand for as New Yorkers and Americans."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations called for police to increase security around mosques.
"Attacks on our nation's houses of worship must be condemned by all Americans and should be investigated and prosecuted using all available law enforcement resources," said Ibrahim Hooper, the national communications director for CAIR.
An investigation is ongoing.


Four Molotov cocktail attacks on NYC sites, including a mosque
Four firebombs were thrown Sunday night at New York City buildings, including an occupied mosque, a Hindu worship center, a convenience store, and a home.

New York police are investigating as bias crimes four Molotov cocktail attacks on Sunday night including one against a mosque with 75 people inside and another against a Hindu place of worship.


New York State Politics U.S. State Politics Social Issues Crime and Law Law Enforcement Crime New York Crime
No injuries were reported.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday assigned state law enforcement officials to assist the New York City investigation, saying the attacks "go against everything we stand for as New Yorkers and Americans," and the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the attacks.

Recommended: Four mosque battles in the US

The arson attacks occurred over two hours on Sunday night in the borough Queens, police said. The first firebomb hit a convenience store, causing damage behind the counter, and the second hit a private house.

Residents of the home escaped without harm but the fire caused extensive damage, police said.

The third targeted the Imam al-Khoei Foundation, a Shiite organization that provides education, funeral services, counseling and helps organize Islamic pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia, according to its website.

The fourth attack hit a private home where Hindu services are held.

About 75 to 80 worshippers were inside the mosque and some of them attempted to put out a small fire at the top of the door until the fire department arrived, imam Maan Alsahlani said.

"We don't know who did this and we cannot accuse anyone. We will let the police department deal with this," Alsahlani said.

This was the first attack against the mosque, he said.

"Even after Sept. 11, nobody did anything to the center or attacked the center," Alsahlani said, referring to the time of high tension following the 2001 attacks.

CAIR, an Islamic civil rights group, called on police to increase patrols protecting mosques.

"Attacks on our nation's houses of worship must be condemned by all Americans and should be investigated and prosecuted using all available law enforcement resources," CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said in a statement.

Police said the suspect was a man driving a silver sport utility vehicle. At three of the sites the same type of glass container was used, a Starbucks Frappuccino bottle.

"Attacks such as this have no place in our open and inclusive society and we must do all we can to ensure New York remains a safe and tolerant place for all," Cuomo said in a statement, asking his state police chief and deputy secretary for public safety to aid the city police investigation


Mosque, Temple, Bodega Struck in New York Firebombing Attacks

New York Post) - Molotov cocktails made from Starbucks glass bottles were hurled at three sites in the Queens borough of New York City late Sunday, including a mosque with 100 people inside, a Hindu temple and a bodega.

Police were also investigating whether a nearby fire that caused major damage to a private home was part of the frightening pattern. There were no injuries in any of the incidents.

One attack damaged the front door of the Al-Khoei Benevolent Foundation on the Van Wyck Expressway in Jamaica, Queens at 8:45pm local time.

"We were having a gathering tonight, spending some time with members of the mosque after a service, and someone alerted us that there was a fire outside," said Maan Alsahlani, the mosque's minister of religion.

"There wasn't too loud of an explosion, but it seemed that there were two or three small bombs thrown at the door. It's frightening, but we have cameras everywhere. We have to worry a little bit, but we have the police here and they will find out who did this," he added.

Police recovered the Molotov cocktail, which contained an unknown accelerant.

About 45 minutes earlier, an explosive was thrown inside a bodega on Hillside Avenue and 180th Street, damaging the counter. It too was constructed using a Starbucks bottle.

At 10:45pm local time, two bottles were tossed at a private home, which also serves as a Hindu Temple, on 170th Street near 89th Avenue, cops said. They fizzled out before igniting.

In the incident that is not clearly linked to the Molotov cocktails, a home on 107th Avenue caught fire at 8:10pm local time and was badly damaged.

Investigators deemed the blaze suspicious, but did not immediately find an accelerant.

Police were looking into whether the fires were hate crimes.

"No matter what motivation was of the individual who threw Molotov cocktails in Queens last night, his actions stand in stark contrast to the New York City of today that we've built together," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement Monday.

Governor Andrew Cuomo also condemned the attacks, saying in a statement that they "go against everything we stand for as New Yorkers and Americans."

He said he instructed Superintendent of State Police Joe D'Amico and Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Liz Glazer to provide any assistance that is needed as police investigate to "make sure those who perpetrated these attacks are brought to justice."




Pictures:
1.The attacks resulted in damage but no injuries, the New York Police Department said.The attacks resulted in damage but no injuries, the New York Police Department said.
2.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the arson attacks "go against everything we stand for as New Yorkers and Americans," (AP Photo/Mike Groll/file

No comments:

Post a Comment