Mosque investigation a high priority for FBI

The FBI is continuing to investigate the firebombing, classified as hate crime, of the Bloomington Islamic Center, an FBI spokeswoman said \nWednesday.\nThe FBI has been investigating the incident in collaboration with the Bloomington Police Department. Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan receives regular briefings about this incident. \nMaria Heslin, communications director for the City of Bloomington, said police increased patrols in the area immediately after the incident and it is of the highest priority, especially in light of the type of incident, location and time it took place.\n"Investigators are doing interviews with individuals who may have information, collecting evidence and sending things off to the lab," she said. \nEarly Saturday morning an unknown number of suspects threw a rock through a lower level of Bloomington's only mosque, located on Atwater Ave, authorities said. The perpetrators then threw a Mountain Dew bottle full of an unknown accelerant through the window and proceeded to light it on fire. \nMembers of the Bloomington community, including those from other religious organizations, were outraged by the attack and gathered at a "Vigil for Peace" around the Monroe County Courthouse in the early evening Wednesday. \nThe vigil was organized by the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition. In a statement the about the vigil the BPAC said they were "saddened and troubled" by the incident and "condemn and abhor all acts of hate and violence, including the terrorist attacks in London last Thursday, the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the fire at the Bloomington Islamic Center"