04-21-2007, 04:11 AM
Florida Mosque Attacked by Arsonists
<b>Reward Grows In Islamic Center Arson Case</b>
April 19, 2007
TOWN - 'N COUNTRY - The reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who torched the Islamic Education Center of Florida has risen to $12,500.
The Council for American-Islamic Relations is posting a $9,000 reward, and $1,000 is offered by Crime Stoppers. The rest is from the state fire marshal's office.
Ahmed Bedier, executive director of the council, said federal agents are involved, given the fire occurred at a building that was a mosque and educational center for Muslim children.
About $100,000 damage was done to the building at 6450 Rockpointe Drive. There was no insurance since the building was paid for, Bedier said.
The fire occurred April 12 when someone splashed a flammable liquid in a room on the east end of the building and ignited it, fire investigators said.
The FBI took over the probe because the building is a house of worship and the arson might have been a hate crime.
