Posted on 01/03/2012 1:33:10 PM PST by Hunton Peck
NEW YORK (AP) -- New York City police say a man has confessed to a string of arson attacks at an Islamic cultural center and four other sites on New Year's Day.
The man was taken into custody Tuesday. His name was not immediately released.
Police spokesman Paul Browne says he made statements implicating himself in the attacks and had personal grievances with each targeted location.
Crude Molotov cocktails were tossed into a convenience store, two homes in Queens, one in nearby Nassau County, and an Islamic center.
He is facing arson-related charges. It's not clear if the incidents were bias crimes, but it's being investigated.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
Detectives questioned a man Tuesday in connection with the firebombing of an Islamic cultural center and three other New York City sites, attacks they said might turn out to be hate crimes.
The man was tracked through a car with Virginia license plates that was believed to be at the scene of at least two of the attacks Sunday evening on a convenience store, two homes and the cultural center, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
The man in custody may be the same person kicked out of the convenience store on Dec. 22 for trying to steal a glass Starbucks bottle and milk, authorities believe. Four of the five crude Molotov cocktails thrown at the various locations were made from glass Starbucks bottles, Kelly said.
Witnesses reported he made threats as he was escorted out, Kelly said.
"When they were pushing him out of the store, he said words to the effect that `We're going to get even. We're going to get back at you,'" Kelly said.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Meanwhile, Bloomie is distinguishing between a "hate crime" and "senseless violence", so I guess he thinks a "hate crime" is sensible violence.
The culprit should convert to islam as soon as possible. That would be funny.
FWIW, Muslims have been known to burn mosques because of little disagreements among themselves. Sounds more like a crazy leftist than a vast right wing conspirator to me.
Not much to go on, but that’s an indicator, too. If he was a hate-filled Southern Baptist, we’d be hearing all about it.
I’m thinking he’s already one.
I knew there was a reason I disliked this bottles. It’s time we take a long hard look at how easy it is for people to get a hold of bottles and begin to seriously look at restricting access to Starbucks bottles.
bias crimes? Is that like a lesser degree hate crime?
The early reports said the Mosques were Shiite. So the culprit could be Sunni.
I am assuming the man is a muslim, that is why his name hasn’t been released and why they are hesitating on the hate crime BS.
Give Peace a chance don’t throw a firebomb. Throw some bacon and lard.
Just like with the New Black Panther thugs.
The way he was able to find their homes seems odd also, almost like he knew them.
Certainly doesn’t sound at all like the acts of someone launching an attack against Islam.
No name released, and they seem to be hedging on the original “hate crime” presumption. Hmmm...
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I wonder if this means the suspect is a mohammedan....
If so, we’ll probably never hear about it.
NEW YORK (AP) -- A law enforcement official says a man hurled firebombs at an Islamic cultural center in part because he wasn't allowed to use its bathrooms and targeted four other New York-area sites on New Year's Day over personal grievances.The official spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the case is still being investigated. The official says the man made anti-Muslim statements and could be charged with a hate crime in the Islamic center attack. [story continues]
Source: Toilet denial, then NY Islam center attack
“an inclination “ - Basis for a new Hate Crime?
NEW YORK (AP) -- A man hurled crude firebombs at an Islamic cultural center in part because he wasn't allowed to use its bathrooms and targeted four other New York-area sites on New Year's Day because of personal grievances, a law enforcement official said Tuesday.[story continues, with details of each boming attempt]The 40-year-old man, of Guyanese descent, was taken into custody Tuesday after he was tracked through a stolen car with Virginia license plates believed to be at the scene of at least two of the attacks Sunday evening on a convenience store, three homes and the cultural center, police said.
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The man was facing arson-related charges, and it was unclear Tuesday whether the attacks were considered hate crimes, which could bring extra penalties. He has prior arrests for drugs, passing bad checks and weapons possession.
The law enforcement official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the case was still being investigated, said the man made broad anti-Muslim statements and could be charged with a hate crime in the Islamic center attack.
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The law enforcement official said the man bought five Frappuccinos, which cost about $2 each, and was given three for free the night of the attacks. He later was seen on video at a gas station a few hours before the first bomb was tossed, apparently filling up bottles with gasoline, the official said. Paper was used as a wick for at least one of the bombs.
The first hit was at 8 p.m., when a bottle was thrown at a counter at the corner store. The bomb did not explode, but gasoline leaked out and a small fire started.
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