The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today condemned the recent arson incident targeting a vehicle parked outside a mosque in downtown Los Angeles.
SEE: Masked suspect seen on video torching minivan outside Los Angeles Islamic center
On the evening of Monday, Jan. 12, surveillance video showed a masked suspect approaching a minivan parked outside the Akber Masjid Islamic Center and apparently lighting the vehicle on fire.
The vehicle’s owner went to the mosque to pray and was uninjured in the incident.
Authorities are reportedly searching for a suspect, but no motive has yet been released.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“At a time when American Muslims are facing elevated levels of hate and Islamophobia across the nation, an act of arson deliberately targeting a vehicle parked outside a mosque raises serious concerns about targeted intimidation and hate as a possible motive. The Muslim community deserves to feel safe in our places of worship, and we urge authorities to thoroughly investigate this incident and determine whether it was motivated by anti-Muslim bias.”
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com