Vandals spray-paint 2 mosques in California, leave fake grenade in driveway
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Monday, December 14, 2015 01:29 AM EST | Updated: Monday, December 14, 2015 01:34 AM EST
This photo provided by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community muslimsforpeace.org shows "Jesus" in spray paint vandalizing a gate at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Baitus-Salaam Mosque in Hawthorne, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015. The FBI is investigating after police in Hawthorne say two mosques in that city were vandalized with paint, and a fake grenade was left in the driveway of one of the properties.(Ahmadiyya Muslim Community muslimsforpeace.org via AP)
HAWTHORNE, Calif. -- Vandals spray-painted graffiti at two mosques in the California city of Hawthorne and left a device that looked like a hand grenade in the driveway of one of the mosques on Sunday, prompting police to investigate both incidents as a hate crime.
A bomb squad was called, and the area around the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Baitus-Salaam Mosque was evacuated after the device was discovered around 6:30 a.m., police said in a statement. Investigators determined the device was a plastic replica of a hand grenade. The word "Jesus" was sprayed in white paint on the mosque's fence.
Police received another call that the phrase "Jesus is the way" was spray-painted in front of the Islamic Center of Hawthorne.
Police and the FBI were investigating the vandalism, which appeared to have occurred overnight, as hate crimes.
"This type of behaviour is born out of ignorance and fear and we as members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community ... we respond with peaceful dialogue," said Ahsan M. Khan, a chapter president of the community.
"It's through peaceful dialogue that we can hopefully see less of this type of hate crime," he said.
On Friday, a mosque in Palm Springs was damaged in a fire that authorities said was intentionally set. They arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the fire and booked him for investigation of commission of a hate crime, arson, maliciously setting a fire and burglary.
The fire at the Islamic Center of Palm Springs was contained to the small building's front lobby, and no one was injured.
The mosque is about 75 miles (120 kilometres) from San Bernardino, where a couple who federal officials say were inspired by Islamist extremists opened fire Dec. 2 at a holiday luncheon and killed 14 people. Some Muslims in Southern California and beyond have worried about the potential for reprisals, while leaders of various faiths have called for tolerance.
