Dallas Mosque Attacked

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Dallas Mosque Attacked
Saleema
09/12/01 at 18:20:57
Local Dallas area Mosque target of shooting
IRVING, Texas (AP) _ Vandalism at two Dallas area mosques on
Wednesday had some Muslims fearful they were targets of retaliation
following terrorist attacks on the East Coast.

At least six bullets shattered windows of the Islamic Center of
Irving early Wednesday, causing about $3,000 in damage to the large
pane windows fronting the shopping center location, officials said.

A window at the Islamic Center of Carrollton also was broken by
a slingshot-type device early Wednesday, police said.

Windows at the Irving mosque were found shattered when workers
arrived around 6 a.m. CDT Wednesday. Nobody was at the mosque when
the shooting occurred and no injuries were reported.

Irving police were investigating the incident. It was not
immediately clear if the shooting was related to Tuesday's attacks.

``We are afraid for our families,'' said Jason-Yaseen Black, a
mosque member.

``It's obviously misdirected anger,'' he said. ``Luckily no one
was here when the shots were fired.''

Center president Mohamoud Egal said the mosque will continue
holding services five times a day at the location, which is not
marked with signs.

``We pray to God,'' he said. ``That's not going to change. We
also are going to keep an eye on our women. We've advised them to
stay home and be careful if they dress ethnically.''

Egal said the center planned to disable its Web site, which was
targeted with ``derogatory'' e-mails Tuesday. The mosque had
received no death threats.

About 1,000 people attend services at the center, he said.

The mosque also closed its school operation for two days, and
members were to meet with the Irving police chief Wednesday to
request additional patrols near the center.

``It's very sad. We're just trying as any Americans, any
Muslim-American, to comprehend what happened and why it happened,''
said project manager Raouf Alkawldeh, his voice trembling. ``We
called on our community for a blood drive, we set a fund for
donations and we made a special prayer last night ... and to come
in the morning and find out a place of worship like this trashed.''

In Carrollton, police spokesman Sgt. David Sponhour said his
department increased patrols around area Muslim facilities as a
precaution. He considered the incident an isolated one.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
NS


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