Explosion Rocks Minnesota Mosque
A blast interrupted worshippers at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota Saturday morning around 5am.
The Imam’s office took some damage, but fortunately none of approximately 20 people present were hurt.
Director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota Asad Zaman said he witnessed something thrown from a vehicle into one of the mosque’s windows.
Mohamed Omar says the mosque – used mostly by local the local Somali community – has received threats via email and phone on occasion according to the Star Tribune.
“(It’s usually) people talking about us, telling us, accusing us that we shouldn’t be here, that we are like a burden to the community or we are like harming it,” said Omar.
“The whole neighborhood was calm. People were supposed to be sleeping, that’s how peaceful this should be. I was shocked to learn this happened,” he also said.
“So glad no one injured & we stand with our MN Muslim community today,” Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar tweeted.
So glad no one injured & we stand with our MN Muslim community today. Blast rocks Islamic center in Bloomington https://t.co/UJwkzKnEki
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) August 5, 2017
Earlier this week on Wednesday, an explosion went off in Minnehaha Academy.
The school is no more than 20 miles from the mosque.
Two were killed, and 9 others were taken to the hospital according to CBS News.
The entire middle of @MinnehahaAcad (front to back) is gone @WCCO pic.twitter.com/a3fEwPzOmE
— Mary McGuire (@mcguirereports) August 2, 2017
Police say the blast was caused by a gas leak.
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton also released a statement regarding the incident.
Statement from @GovMarkDayton regarding this morning's explosion at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/6jzz21oZJX
— Matt Swenson (@MattSwenson) August 2, 2017
The two explosions appear to be unrelated.
