Mosque Omar Mateen Prayed At Set On Fire On Three-Month Anniversary Of Pulse Massacre

The weekend was also the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
From: NewNowNext

 A mosque in Fort Pierce, Florida, that had been attended by Omar Mateen was set on fire early morning, September 11, 2016, the three-month anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shootings.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office says security video shows what appears to be a white or Hispanic male arriving on motorcycle at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce Sunday evening shortly before midnight.

 A 911 call was received around 12:31 a.m., after which fire crews responded and put out the fire.

In the surveillance footage, the suspect is seen approaching the building, followed by a bright flash. He then ran from the building, apparently carrying “paper and a bottle of some type of liquid,” according to authorities.

This weekend was the start of Eid al-Adha, and representatives for the mosque say there were people inside less than an hour before the blaze began.

 While Mateen’s family regularly attended the Islamic Center, he himself did not.

Investigators from the the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are working with local police, firefighters and the FBI to investigate the arson, which is being treated as a hate crime.

That night was also the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

“We all know the implications of the date and the time of year,” said Major David Thompson of the sheriff’s office. “Is that related? I would not want to speculate, but it is in the back of our minds.”

“This is a horrible tragedy,” he added, “not only for the Islamic Center but also for our community.”

The mosque had reportedly received threatening phone calls and messages in the weeks after the attack in Orlando.

“When you’re standing outside they will curse you, they will show you the finger,” said one attendee.