The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is hunting for suspects who could have been responsible for an explosion at a Minnesota mosque. At the time of the bombing, Muslim faithful had assembled for morning prayers. Investigators are probing whether the blast was a fuelled by hate.
FBI probe
The explosion occurred early Saturday as morning devotion went on. According to Jeff Potts, the Bloomington Police Chief, the attack destroyed a room in the mosque, but no injuries or fatalities were reported.
According to FBI special agent Richard Thornton, initial investigations show that an improvised explosive could have caused the blast. Thornton added that officers recovered pieces of the explosive device at the scene of the explosion.
The Bureau has now embarked on the search for the people behind the attack, while also trying to find out whether the assault was a hate crime. During a press conference, Thornton said that the FBI is now trying to determine whether the attack was motivated by hate or was an act of terror. So far, the bureau has interviewed the people who witnessed the explosion, sent videos to labs for analysis, and collected video and cell phone info for further investigation.
In a tweet, the Bloomington Police their sincere thanks to the local community and the FBI for their assistance. In the tweet, the police promised the locals that they will always serve them to the best of their ability.
A rise in crimes against Muslims
Elaine Duke, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, is also keeping abreast of the investigations. The Homeland Security Secretary is in contact with federal and local security agencies. In a statement, Homeland Security said that it fully supports the rights of all people to freely and safely participate in the faith of their choice. The statement went to add that Homeland Security condemns any attacks on any religious group. The statement added that although it was relieving to know that no one was injured by the attack, that does not diminish the gravity of the assault.
People living close to the mosque said that they were roused by a loud bang on Saturday morning. The Imam's office windows were shattered by the loud blast, as smoke escaped from the building. Asad Zaman, head of the local Muslim American Society, said the attack was a firebombing. According to the mosque's executive director Mohamed Omar, one of the members spotted a vehicle getting away soon after the blast. Omar stated that the center has been receiving threatening calls and emails. The United States has seen an increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes, with figure doubling since last year.