Arsonist Sets Fire To Oregon Mosque Frequented By Mohamed Osman Mohamud

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Arson caused a fire on Sunday at an Islamic center that was the occasional place of worship for a Somali-born teen who two days ago was arrested on charges of plotting a terror attack in Portland, authorities said.

The fire at the Salman Al-Farisi Islamic Center was set early Sunday morning, said Carla Pusateri, a fire prevention officer for the Corvallis Fire Department.

She said "quite a bit of evidence" was left at the scene, which led her to believe the fire was intentionally set. No injuries have been reported.

The Islamic center was frequented by Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old held on charges of plotting to carry out a terror attack at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland on Friday.

Yosof Wanly, imam at the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center, said Mohamud was a normal student who went to athletic events, drank the occasional beer and was into rap music and culture.

Wanly said Mohamud was religious but didn't come to the mosque consistently.

The fire on Sunday was contained to one room, burning 80 percent of the center's office, Wanly said. The worship areas were untouched.

Wanly has been advised by friends to take his family out of their home, and to "another person's house due to the possibility of hate crimes," he said. "I'm going to look into it, especially because my face has been on the news a lot."

Wanly said the local populace has always been accepting of Muslims.

"The common scene here is to be very friendly, accepting various cultures and religions," Wanly said. "The Islamic center has been here for 40 years, it's more American than most Americans with regards to age."

Comments

[ver1tas]

04:12 AM on 12/01/2010

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Steady rain Tuesday didn't stop people from attending a candlelight vigil in support of an Islamic center targeted by an apparent hate crime after a teen who occasionally worshipped there was accused of planning mass killings in Portland.

Hundreds of residents of this small college town came out for the vigil at the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center.

Elizabeth Oettinger, senior minister of the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ, said a number of religious leaders organized the event to show support for the Muslim community after the center's office was set on fire Sunday.

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_6408/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=H7d33SK5

At least some good came out of it and united all kinds of people together.

[tj101]

02:44 PM on 12/01/2010

Thankfully, the Christian clergy in Oregon understand the True message of Christ.

[Saint Poopypants]

05:23 AM on 12/12/2010

Thankfully­, the Islamic clergy in Oregon misunderstand the True message of Mohammad.

[Manhajsadiqeen]

10:59 PM on 11/29/2010

In the times of hate that has circled the American landscape, haters are targeting mosques where people are accused of crimes. They justify it and say it is needed to stem the tide of Islamization of America; others contend that using fire and threatening Muslims into submission is not terror but warranted actions.
If the Muslimeen began taking up the logic of the aforementioned, began burning churches in response to their mosques being burned. Terror would be the label! The Muslimeen could contend that Christians are doing this to our masajids and it is warranted.
The Muslimeen know our tenets in this regard, it is forbidden to act upon revenge upon the innocent and places of worships and clergy are off limits to the sword.
These actions taken by the few non Muslims against the masajids in America will only strengthen the resolve of the Muslimeen and more will convert, this is happening in the US today.
Law Enforcement must do a better job of finding these culprits since the arrest rate in masajids burnings is poor. I wonder why?
Collective punishment of American Muslimeen since 9/11 and this is wrong. When Osama targets innocent Americans, Americans cry out and say you are collectively punishing us for your disagreement with the US gov. Now, non Muslims Americans are doing this to the Muslimeen.

[tj101]

05:12 PM on 12/01/2010

It's not a coincidence that Islamophobes and White Supremacists in this country have a direct relationship in this country.

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2010/08/25/white-supremacists-find-common-cause-with-pam-gellers-anti-islam-campaign/
--------
Rational people will stand with their Muslim friends.

[majikbrat]

09:21 PM on 11/29/2010

I have not read all the comments. There are currently over 1,000. I just want to say this is sad. We all know that no matter what religion you are ... there can be scarey people that claim your brand. Christian, Muslim, Jewish.. there are always a few that take some part of the Holy Text out of context and use it to make war. And others who are willing to act violently against an entire group based on one persons misguided reaction. I just find this so sad.

[Talossa]

01:28 AM on 11/30/2010

I wish it were a question of context.

[tj101]

02:35 PM on 12/01/2010

Of course it it...unless xtains want to be lumped in with the likes of Scott Roeder, Eric Rupdolph, Hutaree, the IRA/SinnFeinn, The LRA, Tripura.....

[Tony Sanchez]

07:22 PM on 11/29/2010

Anyone who thinks that burning anyones house of worship is not well.

[Just-a-Guy]

04:51 PM on 11/29/2010

It seems that 9 out of 10 posters here feel that Christianity is suitable for bashing...and Islam should get nothing but our profound respect.

LOL

Pretty funny. You guys are SO afraid of offending a religious group...unless it's Christianity. In that case...all bets are off. ;)

[IndependentBadger]

05:03 PM on 11/29/2010

AMEN.

It's so sad to see this, too. Most of these people would have been the FIRST targeted by the mullahs, in 1979 Tehran, once the muslims no longer needed the secular students to bring down the Shah, for example.

[Just-a-Guy]

05:47 PM on 11/29/2010

Or if one crazy guy tries to burn a bible...the Christians of the world don't threaten a global riot...whereas....

[Olethea]

09:25 PM on 12/01/2010

Why are you invoking decades-old policies from the 70's to combat religious equality in 21st century America?

[tj101]

05:12 PM on 11/29/2010

Which post(s) states that "Islam should get nothing but our profound respect"?

I'd love to see those!

[Akhet]

03:35 PM on 11/29/2010

another anti terror victory. the left seems to be doing a pretty good job of keeping us safe.

[publiuswarmac9999]

01:14 PM on 11/29/2010

The fire on Sunday was contained to one room, burning 80 percent of the center's office, Wanly said. The worship areas were untouched.

Now let's see if we can reason this out.  The mosque wasn't damaged, the mosque office was destroyed.  This is more the act of someone trying to hide something that might be incriminating or embarrassing. or that would disclose connections and future attacks .  Logically, who is that someone?  A person familiar with the mosque and its layout.  Almost certainly a member of the mosque itself.

[tj101]

01:44 PM on 11/29/2010

almost certainly? Well there's a huge lead in logic. Do you know the buildings layout?

[publiuswarmac9999]

01:59 PM on 11/29/2010

Of course I don't know the Mosque layout, - that is my point.  You don't just walk in with a gas can and a lighter and ask where the office is?  Shoot, I don't even know where the office in my church is let alone a mosque.  You got to know your way around.

[tj101]

02:02 PM on 11/29/2010

And you were informed of the fact that the FBI had been involved with this kid for over a year.

They didn't see any evidence of the imam's involvement or anyone who attended that mosque.

Rational people understand this.

[icandothisalldayandnight]

01:02 PM on 11/29/2010

I have no problem with this

[ver1tas]

04:04 AM on 12/01/2010

then you have a problem

[astroblower]

11:14 AM on 11/29/2010

White Christian terrorist types need to be watched and they need to be patted down repeatedly at airports.

[tj101]

01:45 PM on 11/29/2010

Agreed.

[Just-a-Guy]

04:51 PM on 11/29/2010

Flagged as abusive ;)

[Eric4969]

11:10 AM on 11/29/2010

Who started all THE MAJOR WORLD WARS AGAIN

[publiuswarmac9999]

01:15 PM on 11/29/2010

I presume you would go back to the time of recorded history?  If not, you are simply picking and choosing.

[tj101]

03:14 PM on 11/29/2010

Let's! I'll start with the Crusades...your turn!

[IndependentBadger]

05:07 PM on 11/29/2010

What's your point, even?

Stalin was an atheist. Hitler consulted astrologers. Churchill and Roosevelt were christians. Tojo and Hirohito were shintoist/buddhists. Mussolini was a Catholic. And so on. The only reason none of the world leaders were muslim, is because of the devastating effect organized islam had on the ability of the Ottoman Empire to modernize at the pace of its western counterparts...

[Eric4969]

11:09 AM on 11/29/2010

If all Muslims are group into the Acts of a Few than All WHITE MEN must be lumped with in with All WORLD WARS STARTED OK

[publiuswarmac9999]

01:15 PM on 11/29/2010

Your comment is obviously racists in that it assumes that there are no white muslims

[tj101]

02:23 PM on 11/29/2010

nonsense, he's merely pointing out the hypocrisy of the Islamophobes in this country.

[IndependentBadger]

05:09 PM on 11/29/2010

It is absolutely racist. He's clearly never been to Bosnia. And his assumption that the emperor of the Chrysanthemum Throne was a "WHITE MAN" is hilarious too.

[elizlucinda]

10:22 AM on 11/29/2010

I am amazed at the number of people on here who are charter members of the "what if"......could it be....I think" club who use these "observations" to try and defend this act or to blame members of the Mosque for this act.

Would you like to be blamed fsomething based on supposition or random thoughts in a blog. I don't think so but this is done to the Muslim Community on a regular basis. that is why I consider it to be racism.

[ver1tas]

04:06 AM on 12/01/2010

Fanned.

[tj101]

01:47 PM on 11/29/2010

Because you read into things that aren't there?

[TexasTreader]

09:33 AM on 11/29/2010

Could the fire have been set by some of the mosques attendees in order to play the victim card? Lots of evidence, minimal damage... sounds fishy to me.

[tj101]

03:12 PM on 11/29/2010

You tried that line yesterday and were informed of the fact that the FBI has been involved with this kid for over a year.

They know who this kid was connected to and none led them to this Mosque.

[Just-a-Guy]

04:38 PM on 11/29/2010

You sound like you know just a little too much about this particular case....LOL

[freegeg]

09:24 AM on 11/29/2010

"The fire on Sunday was contained to one room, burning 80 percent of the center's office, Wanly said. The worship areas were untouched."

This sounds like an inside job. Looks like they are trying to cover up evidence.

[publiuswarmac9999]

10:36 AM on 11/29/2010

Good point.  Not only do you cover up evidence in this case but prevent the exposure of potentially damaging future events.

[shastaman]

11:01 AM on 11/29/2010

Remember that the FBI was working hand in hand with this man for well over a year!
They put together the dummy bomb and directed him when and where to stage it!
They provided resources and technical support over the past year and brought him along to detonate a trial bomb
All of this was conducted well outside of the city of Portland

[Mo Reno]

03:08 PM on 11/29/2010

Really? You mean, that's what YOU would do, right?