Mosque vandalism binds St. Cloud religious leaders

Rasa - Religious and community leaders of Minnesota’s St. Cloud-area have raced to show solidarity with the Muslim minority, after vandals damages a mosque four times in one month.

News ID: 1877

Date: 23 December 2014 - 23:58

RNA - Faith leaders met Sunday at the Central Minnesota Islamic Center to discuss the issue and see the damage, the St. Cloud Times reports.

“We stand in solidarity with our Muslim neighbors and their leaders against this vandalism and we want to clearly say there is no way that this vandalism can be justified in the name of Jesus Christ, or of the Christian faith,” read a statement by Rev. Steve Cook, the former president of the Great River Interfaith Partnership (GRIP).

St. Cloud police are investigating and have increased patrols. The vandalism has included broken windows on the center and vehicles. In one incident, a window was shot 10 times with a pellet gun.

Center spokesman Mohamoud Mohamed says he doesn't understand why someone would target a building meant for peace.

Earlier this month, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on federal law enforcement authorities to investigate incidents at two St. Cloud mosques as hate crimes.

The latest attack happened on December 15 when a broken window was reported to St. Cloud police.

The attack followed a series of incidents of vandalism which targeted the same mosque since November, highlighting an unprecedented anti-Muslim sentiment in Minnesota.

These attacks left Muslim community and center leader worried about their safety, according to Ahmed Abdi, the secretary of the Islamic center.

R111/108/A/