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Orlando nightclub shooting: Fire set at gunman's mosque | Orlando nightclub shooting: Fire set at gunman's mosque |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Police are investigating a fire at the mosque that was attended by the Orlando nightclub gunman who killed 49 people. | |
Surveillance cameras show a suspect approaching the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce moments before Monday morning's blaze, fire officials said. | |
The fire may have been timed to coincide with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha and the anniversary of 9/11. | |
Omar Mateen committed the worst mass shooting in modern American history in June when he opened fire in Pulse. | Omar Mateen committed the worst mass shooting in modern American history in June when he opened fire in Pulse. |
He was killed by police after taking hostages and declaring his allegiance to the Islamic State group. | He was killed by police after taking hostages and declaring his allegiance to the Islamic State group. |
The mosque blaze was so severe that it burned a hole 10ft-by-10ft (3-by-3m) in the roof of the mosque's main room. | |
Someone was filmed "just moments before a flash is seen and the fire starts," the St Lucie County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. | Someone was filmed "just moments before a flash is seen and the fire starts," the St Lucie County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. |
"A fire at any place of worship is alarming, regardless of the circumstances," it added. | "A fire at any place of worship is alarming, regardless of the circumstances," it added. |
A spokesman for the sheriff's office, Major David Thompson, said: "This is a horrible tragedy. Not only for the Islamic Center, but for our community". | |
The arsonist "is terrorising our community because we don't know where he is at and we don't know what he is capable of doing", said Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, a Florida spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. | |
"For this to happen to us on the morning of our biggest celebration of the year has made everyone saddened and scared, but our community is bigger than a building," Mr Amr Ruiz said. | |
"We are stronger than that." | |
Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating, including the FBI. | Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating, including the FBI. |
The Islamic Center of Fort Pierce has experienced other trouble in recent months. A few weeks after the nightclub shooting, a man was badly beaten outside the mosque. | The Islamic Center of Fort Pierce has experienced other trouble in recent months. A few weeks after the nightclub shooting, a man was badly beaten outside the mosque. |
Motorists frequently stop to shout abuse at worshippers, including the driver of a truck who stopped to hurl insults earlier that same day, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations. | |
In addition to Omar Mateen, the mosque was also visited by Moner Mohammad Abu Salha, who became the first American to commit a suicide bombing attack in Syria. | In addition to Omar Mateen, the mosque was also visited by Moner Mohammad Abu Salha, who became the first American to commit a suicide bombing attack in Syria. |