An unidentified arsonist did considerable damage to a mosque in Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, but there were no casualties, the mosque’s head reported on Saturday.
Omer Oral, the head of Hagen\u2019s Great Mosque Society, told Anadolu Agency that the arson attack took place at 10.00 a.m. when the assailant set fire to a trash dumpster and cartons outside, leading to significant material damage.
Underlining that he took comfort in seeing no loss of lives, Oral said: \u201cSubstantial damage was done to the entrance of the mosque. The mosque was filled with fog and smoke and all the furniture inside were ruined.\u201d
He went on to say that the surveillance cameras were checked by police and a suspect was seen \u201cpulling something out his pocket\u201d near the mosque entrance just before the fire started.
\u201cWe should reach out to the people around us and do a better job introducing ourselves and our faith,\u201d he said, adding that such attacks will never deter Muslims in Europe from practicing their religion.
The mosque belongs to the Islamic Community National View (IGMG), one of Germany\u2019s largest Muslim-Turkish associations.
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