- Title: GERMANY: GERMAN MOSQUE DAMAGED IN POSSIBLE ARSON ATTACK.
- Date: 24th December 2004
- Summary: (EU) USINGEN, 50 KM (30 MILES) NORTHWEST OF FRANKFURT, GERMANY (DECEMBER 23, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV/GV/TILT DOWN: MOSQUE; CHARRED WALL ON SIDE OF MOSQUE, TILT TO OPEN DOORWAY (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. GV/CU: FIRE TRUCK PARKED IN FIELD; SIGN ON TRUCK DOOR READING "VOLUNTARY USINGEN FIRE DEPARTMENT" (2 SHOTS) 0.20 3. GV/CU: POLICEMEN AND
- Embargoed: 8th January 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: USINGEN, 50 KM (30 MILES) NORTHWEST OF FRANKFURT, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA3303MKWF45RRGGAT5DBL6X50B
- Story Text: German mosque damaged by probable arson attack.
German police believe a fire that damaged a new
mosque in the western town of Usingen early on Thursday
(December 23) was probably an arson attack.
The fire broke out in several areas in the mosque and
the building had been entered by force in the early morning
hours, said a spokesman for the Hesse state police office.
No one was hurt, but the blaze caused 50,000 euros
($67,240 USD) worth of damage at the mosque which was only
only opened two weeks ago.
Police said they were still investigating the cause of
the fire, which a motorist spotted at 5:20 a.m. (0420 GMT) and was
exti
nguished by the fire brigade.
They did not say whether they thought it was an
anti-Islam attack.
"We can not rule out a technical fault and we can not
rule out arson which is why we have brought in specialists
from the state criminal police who have carried out their
investigations and took samples," Bad Homburg police
spokesman Siegfried Schlott said at the scene. "The
analysis is ongoing and we cannot make any final
announcement as to the cause."
Usingen, a small town of about 35,000 people, is 50 km
(30 miles) northwest of Frankfurt.
Ahmed Mansor, head of the mosque's youth project, said
"the foundation laying for the mosque was in February and
it was inaugurated by the khalif in October."
"The official opening was only two weeks ago and there
were a lot of guests present, including our mayor. There
were no negative reactions from fellow villagers and even
during the construction period, there were no negative
voices which is why I can not imagine who could have done
this," Mansor said.
In November, following arson attacks on mosques in the
Netherlands, a petrol bomb thrown at a mosque in the
southwestern town of Sinsheim destroyed its entrance and
caused about 10,000 euros of damage.
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