A fire that broke out at the Islamic Society of Coachella Valley on Friday was deliberately set, according to authorities, and is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
Late Friday night, police announced that they had detained someone – but offered no further details. (UPDATE: The Press Enterprise reports that it is Carl J. Dial).
The fire broke out just after noon on Friday at the mosque located on Avenue 49 in Coachella. Cal-Fire was quickly able to put out the blaze and no one was injured- but the entire building sustained smoke damage.
“Someone threw what seems to be a Molotov cocktail-like device and it exploded inside the building around the reception area,” Reymundo Nour, president of the Islamic Society, told City News Service.
This is not the first incident at the mosque. Last year, 5 bullets were shot into the same building. The incident was investigated as a hate crime and a $12,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest. The case remains unsolved.
“It’s horribly lamentable that we would paint any group as undesirables based on the actions of an extremely small number of radical folks that don’t represent the religion in any way,” Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit told The LA Times.
“If in fact it was done with the mosque as a target … it’s reprehensible, and the people who perpetrated that act should be treated the way we would any other terrorist.”
Congressman Raul Ruiz released a statement on Facebook:
I am deeply concerned about the arson fire at the Islamic Society of the Coachella Valley Mosque. I call for a thorough investigation to this arson as a possible hate crime and to bring the perpetrators to justice. I will continue to closely monitor the fire, the possible criminal investigation, and the safety of the members of the mosque. Our faith in humanity will not be intimidated and we stand together against any form violence towards the innocent.
Anyone with information is asked to call Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at 760-836-3215 or 760-341-STOP.
