US man arrested for threatening mosque on Facebook

Polcie says Idris mosque in Seattle's Northgate was target of planned attack


News Desk June 17, 2016
A 37-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly making threats against a Seattle mosque, according to the Seattle Police Department. PHOTO: Caitlin Moran/The Seattle Times

A 37-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly making threats against a Seattle mosque, according to the Seattle Police Department.

The man had posted threats against a mosque on Facebook. He even posted announcing that he purchased an assault rifle and ammunition for the  attack.

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Police raided the man’s apartment in the 11700 block of Greenwood Avenue North and arrested him. Police say they were informed about the threats by an out-of-state friend of the suspect.

According to police, Idris mosque in Northgate was the target. Officers were positioned outside the building Tuesday evening.

“We are prepared. The best we can do is inform people,” Hisham Farajallah, a spokesperson at the mosque, said, adding that some mosque members have expressed fear and are being told to stay vigilant.

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Further, police said the suspect has previously been contacted by local police who are investigating harassment and threats to another mosque.

US authorities have warned that threats against Muslims would not be tolerated, and possibly prosecuted, after alleged incidents in the wake of the Orlando gay club massacre, which was carried out by a Muslim gunman.

Since the Orlando massacre, the small Muslim community of Fort Pierce, Florida — the killer’s hometown — has found itself the target of hate-filled insults and abuse. As the faithful arrive at the center, passing cars honk and their occupants fling out profanity-laced slurs against Islam — including not-so-veiled death threats.

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Across the country, Muslim Americans were quick to condemn the attack, and some mosques took extra security measures to protect against backlash.

Some mosques have been working with federal authorities on assessments to increase their preparedness for attacks, and said they would maintain already higher levels of security implemented after the San Bernardino shootings in December.

The Islamic Community Center of Phoenix has received multiple hate emails since the Orlando shooting, its chairman Usama Shami said, and had already been working with local law enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security. One email, from “CJ,” said: “Do you also refute the Quran when it tells you to lie to the infidel and pretend to be his friend, so that you can betray him.”

The All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Virginia, which Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson visited in December, had carried out multiple security assessments with national and federal law enforcement agencies in the past few months on how to improve security around the community center.

“The sad thing is, we’re almost used to it now,” said Rizwan Jaka, chairman of the organization.

 

This article originally appeared on The Seattle Times.

 

COMMENTS (1)

numbersnumbers | 7 years ago | Reply Man will have his day in court, and if convicted, will spend time in prison! In America there are laws with serious consequences!
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