Posted on 07/25/2005 5:30:59 PM PDT by 4.1O dana super trac pak
PATERSON - It was to be a Muslim youth center, a place for people to meet and mingle, but after a fire ravaged the building Sunday, it was nothing more than a toppled pile of charred bricks.
A fast-moving blaze broke out around 4 p.m. and within 30 minutes had destroyed the historic warehouse at West Railway and Genessee avenues. The outer walls did not buckle under pressure, but everything inside succumbed. Three stories collapsed into one, and the wooden interiors fed the fire's fury even more.
The Islamic Center of Passaic County purchased the abandoned warehouse in June 2003 for $1.25 million - money raised entirely from local donations. Community members wanted to build a place for their children to spend time after school and on weekends.
Tucked away inside South Paterson, across the street from the city's outdoor produce market, the youth center would have been in the heart of North Jersey's Muslim community. Nearly 25,000 Muslims live in a four-mile radius.
But since there was nothing inside the building, and no utilities hooked up, some were left wondering if this was arson. The building's windows were nailed shut with boards, and the doors locked. A wooden 8-foot-tall fence used to hug the perimeter.
"It's very suspicious," said Sohail Mohammed, a community member. "Things are pointing in that direction. I hope not, but I'm afraid that it is."
Others on the scene said this could be a backlash because of deadly bombings in London this month, believed to be set off by Islamic extremists. Many said they would reserve judgment until an investigation was concluded.
Crews from Paterson, Clifton, and other surrounding towns got the fire under control. No one was injured. Arson specialists from the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office and Paterson Police Department were examining the scene Sunday evening.
"The fire was very fast and intense," said Paterson Councilman Aslon Goow, a member of the public safety committee. "Within five minutes everything caved in. It burned entirely from one end to the other."
Members of the Islamic Center of Passaic County planned to meet Sunday night and discuss the next steps: clearing debris and moving forward.
"It's a tragic day," said Nabil Abbassi, head of the development committee. "But we are resolved to continue in this project."
By all means.
Oops.
Here's a comment--BOO F'NG HOO!!!
Damn, I'm just not thinking clearly enough. This Utah beer takes a few. Besides Rove is a Utah boy.
You know, you play around amking bombs in a building and occasionally once goes off.
Yes, it is very SUSPICIOUS, for the reasons that you suggest on their part. After all, they are pretty darned good at bombing and setting fires.
Hey, Muslim kids need a place to hang out and just be kids ... they just seem to blow up so fast these days.
Hmm. Seems it contained highly flammable materials.
My thoughts as well.
Amazing what a few gallons of diesel can do.
The agenda drives on, the media undeterred by those strange, annoying things called facts.
believed to be?-Yeah, right. Maybe it was those dangerous nuns.
They have been bombing local train stations lately
About a year and a half ago a storefront Mosque burned in Coldwater Mi. A few hours later two middle eastern men turned up at the hospital about 30 miles away in Jackson.
The middle easterners claimed that they had been drinking at a local bar they couldn't name when two black men set them on fire with gasoline as they called them racist names.
When all was said and done the police figured out that the middle easterners had set the mosque (and themselves) on fire for insurance purposes.
BTW both idiots died of their injuries.
A happy ending for all.
Right. Because you hear of this sort of thing happening all the time. Puhleaze.
Well, at least they didn't quite make it.
Guess they don't get their raisins, do they?
The best part is the fact that the idiots spent half the night driving around it what had to be horrible pain. It's only a little over a half hour drive from Coldwater to Jackson.
Aye, living here myself for a short while before I return to Southampton, though in the slightly nicer West Paterson area.
OK, everyone!!!
Toss sweets out for the children!!!
Send fat, toothless hags into the street to warble Bedouin flying saucer noises!
Ooops.
Oh.
It was a RELIGION OF PEACE™ PLACE..?
Umm. What now?
Oh yeah.
"The Joos (Descendents of monkeys &etc.) musta done it."
Or Something.
*snort*
Sure has me upset...
Is that Elian gone boom boom?
F*%ked Up Beyond All Recognition
FUBAR
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