Hours after Trump’s Muslim ban, Texas mosque burned to the ground

[M. Sarmad]

Hours after Trump’s Muslim ban, Texas mosque burned to the ground

Less than a day after Donald Trump signed an executive order halting Muslim immigration, a mosque in Southern Texas burned to the ground.

The Islamic Center of Victoria, which supports roughly 100 local Muslims in the community roughly 125 miles from Houston, was completely gutted by the fire, and its leader watched helplessly as their mosque was destroyed.

“It’s a house of worship,” said Islamic Center of Victoria president Shahid Hashmi, in an interview with the Victoria Advocate while standing across the street from the conflagration. “They said it … is a restricted area for now for the investigation, so, we just prayed right here on this sidewalk.”

The was set at approximately 2 AM local time, according to local media. Tom Legler, the local fire marshal, said the cause of the fire is currently unknown, but is asking for the community’s help in determining how the fire started, and who, if arson is suspected, instigated the fire.

The timing of the fire is peculiar, given that President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting all refugee resettlement for 120 days on Friday, and indefinitely banning immigration from predominantly Muslim countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, with more countries to potentially be added to the list in the future.

If the fire is indeed arson, it wouldn’t be the first time the mosque was targeted by vandals. The center was burglarized just last week, and in 2013, a man admitted to spray-painting “H8,” which is shorthand for “hate,” on the front door of the mosque.


A GoFundMe page has been launched by community member Omar Rashid for the rebuilding of the mosque. Currently, approximately $17,000 has been raised from nearly 300 people in just a matter of hours. The Islamic Center of Victoria is seeking $450,000 to rebuild.

 

[XenoEnsi-14]

More idiots attacking Americans. Hope they raise enough money to rebuild the Mosque.

 

[Avicenna]

tbh I used to smoke weed behind my local church back in my hometown and I often discarded blunts into the bushes near the church which caused a fire once, priest and a few other bystanders put it out before it spread to the church.

In short it could have been a couple of rascals sneaking a cheeky fag near the Mosque.

Yea that's surely it.

 

[somebozo]

the mosque in question seems to be in cross hair of arsonist for a while..

 

[JOEY TRIBIANI]

Riots coming soon . good going usa

 

[alaungphaya]

Building a mosque in a place like Victoria Texas is just asking for trouble.

 

[Avicenna]

Building a mosque in a place like Victoria Texas is just asking for trouble.

Why not?

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

1 bad apple rotts the lot

1 Bad Leader , rots trust in system

 

[alaungphaya]

Why not?

It's a rural town in Texas. I know it is known to be quite Bohemian but even still, there should have been some situational awareness.

BTW anyone who grew up in the late 90's might recognise it as Stone Cold Steve Austin's hometown. Does that seem like the kind of place one should build a mosque in America?

 

[YeBeWarned]

as if that Building is responsible for any terrorism or destruction .. very well done arse holes

 

[Avicenna]

It's a rural town in Texas. I know it is known to be quite Bohemian but even still, there should have been some situational awareness.

BTW anyone who grew up in the late 90's might recognise it as Stone Cold Steve Austin's hometown. Does that seem like the kind of place one should build a mosque in America?

I live not too far away from there. And it's very close to Houston which has a large Muslim population. It's America. So long as you get the right permits etc... there should be no issue to build a mosque.

 

[fallstuff]

Perhaps the work of an overjoyed Trump fan boy.

Building has insurance. It will be rebuilt.

 

[Hamza913]

tbh I used to smoke weed behind my local church back in my hometown and I often discarded blunts into the bushes near the church which caused a fire once, priest and a few other bystanders put it out before it spread to the church.

In short it could have been a couple of rascals sneaking a cheeky fag near the Mosque.

 

[Tiger Genie]

idiots on both sides.
It is not a muslim ban - it is a temporary moratorium on 7 countries whose total population is <105 of muslim population. For checking terorrist background muslims sneaking in as refugees

 

[ziaulislam]

idiots on both sides.
It is not a muslim ban - it is a temporary moratorium on 7 countries whose total population is <105 of muslim population. For checking terorrist background muslims sneaking in as refugees

which doesnt apply to non muslim population of the same country lol