Star Tribune
Minnesota Muslims ‘on edge’ after sixth incident of vandalism, now arson targeting a St. Paul mosque
A St. Paul mosque was heavily damaged by fire in a suspected arson Wednesday, the sixth attack of its kind so far in 2023. The attacks are bringing increasing calls for accountability and added security for the houses of worship.
St. Paul Fire Department officials said on Wednesday morning that they suspect an arsonist set ablaze the Tawhid Islamic Center of Minnesota near 430 Dale Street N. Law enforcement say the fire started at around 8:48 a.m., charring the building’s side and melting off plaster. The building was heavily damaged but unoccupied and no injuries were reported.
“We were sorry to hear that the Oromo American Tawhid Islamic Center was on fire this morning. Saint Paul police investigators are working with Saint Paul fire and ATF investigators to determine how the fire started and to find who is responsible,” St. Paul Police Department Sgt. Mike Ernster said. “We’re glad no one was physically hurt, however, we know the importance of this center and we will be investigating this incident to the fullest extent.”
St. Paul Deputy Fire Chief Roy Mokosso did not say where officials believe the fire started, but noted visible flames were coming from the east side of the building, which sustained the most damage.
On Wednesday afternoon, people gathered to pray on the grass outside the mosque, which had spent the past four months under renovation Onlookers from a nearby child care center watched as police and firefighters ducked under yellow tape to enter the building. Some stepped across broken glass and torn insulation as a burnt smell wafted with the breeze.
Jaylani Hussein, executive director for the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he and others on the council have not seen this many incidents happen in Minnesota or elsewhere across the nation.
Hussein is coordinating with police about a potential suspect in the fire who was captured on surveillance camera footage. In the meantime, Hussein has asked mosques across the state to increase their security and for police to bolster patrols around mosques.
“We’re on edge, and we need the public’s help once the suspect is defined to help capture this individual,” Hussein said. “This incident will not impact our faith and our resiliency in the community.”
Many residents gathered to support Hussein and members of the Muslim community, including other faith leaders and legislators like state Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega who said the incidents amount to terrorism.
Rep. Samakab Hussein, who said that he grew up in the area, called the incident unacceptable. Hussein said he would push legislators to hold criminals for such incidents accountable.
“I am frustrated that sacred spaces Minnesotans use to practice religion are being violently attacked. We simply cannot normalize these incidents of hate,” Hussein said in a tweet. “I urge all Minnesotans to come together in solidarity to combat these atrocious actions and uplift our Muslim community.”
Supporters said state and federal dollars could prevent these crimes by funding mosques and helping to pay for security cameras and better lighting.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said that the city would be among the first to invest in such security, adding that he spoke with Mayor Jacob Frey, Governor Tim Walz, and officials with the White House about the mosque incident.
“We can’t just say we don’t accept this, we have to demonstrate that we don’t,” Carter said. “I want to say right now the city of St. Paul is going to be first in to help make sure to invest and provide resources to help make sure we have security cameras at every mosque in our city.”
Carter organized an emergency meeting Wednesday night with local imams and city leadership to discuss the attack and the city’s response, a spokesperson said.
Walz also condemned the mosque attacks, calling for solidarity.
“In the last several months, Minnesota’s Muslim community has experienced several attacks motivated by hate,” Walz’ tweet said. “In Minnesota, we have a zero tolerance policy toward violence. We continue to stand with our Muslim friends and neighbors.”
The fire comes three weeks after Minnesota’s Muslim community was shaken by repeat instances of vandalism and two Minneapolis mosques being set on fire in consecutive days.
A man holding a mask and carrying an umbrella vandalized a St. Paul mosque on May 12, throwing a large rock three times at the building’s front door. CAIR officials asked that law enforcement investigate the incident to see if bias factored into the crime.
Around 7 p.m. April 23, prosecutors say Jackie Rahm Little set a fire in the bathroom of the Masjid Omar Islamic Center, located in the 24 Somali Mall at 912 E. 24th St. An employee interrupted the man as he was burning a cardboard box and chased him out of the mosque, according to court records.
Another mosque fire was set one day later less than a mile away, allegedly again by Little on the third floor of the Masjid Al Rahma mosque at 2647 S. Bloomington Av. The fire caused significant damage before it was extinguished, and worshipers along with 40 children from a private day care in the basement were evacuated.
Investigators found seven metal olive oil cans and what they believe to be a melted red plastic gas canister. The fire was put out before it could spread to the lower levels. Community leaders estimated the damages could cost around $50,000.
More than a dozen imams and other leaders spoke out at a press conference at Masjid Al Rahma to condemn the attacks they suspect were driven by Islamophobia.
Little was charged with arson in both state and federal court, in connection with the second fire at Masjid Al Rahma. He was also charged with a federal hate crime for burning religious property. Little has been linked to other vandalism cases at mosques, and of vandalizing the district office of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Little is believed to have vandalized the Masjid Omar Islamic Center a previous time in January, Hussein said.
On April 10, video showed a man breaking the windows and the main door of the Ummatul Islam Mosque, at 3015 S. 2nd Av. in Minneapolis. Police found a large red metal object inside, but closed investigation into that incident due to a lack of evidence, police records show.
Wednesday’s incident adds perspective for people like Mohammed Dukuly, an imam at the Masjid Al-Ansar community center in Brooklyn Center who says that someone tried to start a fire in his mosque bathroom last week.
Dukuly said the mosque attacks represent an assault on everyone, adding that Muslim residents are crucial for Minnesota communities to thrive.
“We pay taxes. We are not a liability. We are doctors, we are professors at universities, we are teachers, we take care of nursing homes,” Dukuly said. “Don’t you see that we are not a liability?”
Betty Danger’s, the quirky northeast Minneapolis bar known for its Ferris wheel and miniature golf, has been sold for $3.5 million.
The property, located at 2501 Marshall St. NE and 2519 Marshall St. NE, was purchased on Nov. 15, according to the certificate of real estate value filed with the state. The primary buyer of the site is entrepreneur Joe Radaich, according to Taylor VerMeer, a spokeswoman for an undisclosed project planned for the site.
“While I can confirm that Joe Radaich is the primary buyer listed on this project, we are not able to share anything more at this time,” VerMeer said in an email.
Radaich has operated bars in the past, including Sporty’s Pub and Grill, which later became Como Tap. Radaich no longer operates Como Tap, an employee said on Tuesday. Radaich did not return requests for comment. Attempts to reach Leslie Bock, the Betty Danger’s previous owner, were unsuccessful.
The property’s mortgage payments are set at $18,886 per month with a 6.15% interest rate, the state filings show.
A Minneapolis nonprofit that served food to low-income kids has agreed to dissolve itself after a state investigation found it violated laws regarding its operations and financial transactions.
The move was announced Tuesday by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office began investigating Gar Gaar Family Services, also known as the Youth Leadership Academy, after it was denied from participating in a federally funded program to provide food to students after school.
The investigation then found additional issues, including:
An attorney who has represented Gar Gaar, Barbara Berens, could not be reached Tuesday afternoon. Neither Ali or Morioka have been charged in criminal court.
The settlement by the state and Gar Gaar requires it to begin the dissolution process within 60 days of a court’s approval. The nonprofit then must transfer its assets to other charitable organizations with a similar mission.
Gar Gaar, which means “help” in Somali, launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to help students in need, especially those in the Somali community. The group served meals outside of the school year as part of the Summer Food Service Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture but managed by the Minnesota Department of Education.
Gar Gaar received $21 million in reimbursements for serving 7 million meals — the top provider of summer meals in Minnesota in 2021.
What would have been a wild story was quickly put to rest Tuesday when Bloomington police issued a statement clarifying that no, it was not in possession of a recorded O.J. Simpson murder confession.
TMZ reported Tuesday afternoon that Bloomington police may have unwittingly come into possession of such a recording after arresting a former bodyguard of Simpson’s more than two years ago.
But about two hours after that report published, the suburban police department sent out a release that said the belongings seized during the arrest of Iroc Avelli had been inspected and officers “did not locate any information of evidentiary value for the Los Angeles Police Department.”
Here’s what police said happened:
Bloomington police arrested Avelli under suspicion of assault on March 3, 2022. Several items were taken by police in the process, including a backpack which contained multiple thumb drives, according to a statement.
They said Avelli and his attorney said one of the thumb drives in the backpack contained a recording of Simpson confessing to the infamous 1994 murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman, according to Bloomington police.
A search warrant was granted to inspect the thumb drives. A copy was obtained by TMZ, dated June 26, and the document only said the results from the search were “pending.”
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