NY police say man confesses in firebomb on mosque

Related Topics

Related Video

Video

Firebomb attacks hit New York

Tue, Jan 3 2012

1 of 2. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (2nd L) holds a meeting with Imam Al-Khoei Foundation's leader Maan Al-Sahlani (2nd R), New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn (L) and New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly in New York January 3, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz

NEW YORK | Tue Jan 3, 2012 5:42pm EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York City man confessed to a series of Molotov cocktail attacks that hit a mosque and a Hindu place of worship, police said on Tuesday.

The case was being investigated as a possible hate crime and drew strong condemnation from religious leaders of various backgrounds throughout the city.

Police declined to identify the suspect, who was taken into custody early on Tuesday as a "person of interest" based on eyewitness reports and a surveillance video that may have placed his car at the scene of at least two of the five places that were firebombed on Sunday.

He admitted to the acts while under police questioning, police said.

"The individual is implicating himself in each of the five firebombing cases, citing personal grievances with each location," police spokesman Paul Browne said.

One of the firebombs hit the mosque entrance at the Imam al-Khoei Foundation, a Shiite organization in the New York City borough Queens while some 75 to 80 people were inside.

Another hit a private home where Hindu services are held, and a convenience store and two private homes were also damaged with no injuries reported.

(Reporting by Edith Honan; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Cynthia Osterman)
U.S.
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
Comments (5)
damnit wrote:
Why isn’t this man being charged with terrorism? It’s more than a hate crime. It is meant to terrorize.

Jan 03, 2012 6:35pm EST  --  Report as abuse
socialistpigs wrote:
While I don’t agree that this should have been done, I sure understand why it was.

Jan 03, 2012 6:47pm EST  --  Report as abuse
steveaustin1971 wrote:
Because terrorism is only BY brown people, not against them. Where have you been?

Jan 03, 2012 7:21pm EST  --  Report as abuse
This discussion is now closed. We welcome comments on our articles for a limited period after their publication.
See All Comments »