"Someone set the mosque in Bellevue on fire again for the second time in a year.... what has this world come to,” said Osman Salahuddin, a resident of nearby Redmond on his Facebook page. His post has gained thousands of comments, shared by many people of all faiths expressing their support for the community.
Last year, a homeless man was arrested for setting fire to the Bellevue masjid and charged with second-degree arson by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The building, a former Korean church, built in 1978, was valued at $1.2 million in 2016, according to county property records.
An investigation to determine the fire’s cause is under way.
The combination of fire, smoke and water damage in last year’s blaze destroyed the interior, said Omer Lone, a board member to the Seattle Times. That fire burnt a significant portion of the rear of the building and this time the front is gone too. Construction had not started on the building as the congregation was fundraising to build a completely new masjid. A gate and other security is in place.
The building had been vacant since the last fire. The community is currently renting a building a business park.
Last year, police said there was no indication that the first fire was a hate crime or related to terrorism. Isaac Wayne Wilson, was found starting the fire in a parking lot behind the center, pleaded guilty to reckless burning.
"Inshallah if anyone would like to make a donation to help in the rebuild, the link to the mosque website donation page is here: http://www.eastsidemosque.com/donations.php#one,” shared Salahuddin.
Federal agencies have been called in to investigate the fire.
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