Texas mosque fire 'too close to home'
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For members of the Islamic Society of Southern Texas, a mosque fire in Victoria "hit too close to home."
"A mosque in a Muslim community ... it's literally the heart of our community," said Fiona Tagari, a member of the Corpus Christi mosque. "A lot of us are immigrants. We don't have families here, so it's where we make our families. Congregants become extended families."
Local members, including Dr. Samer Jifi Bahlool, traveled back and forth to the site of the Victoria Islamic Center on Saturday and again Sunday after news broke an early morning fire destroyed the mosque.
6 dead, 8 wounded in Quebec mosque shooting, police say
Jifi Bahlool said the Victoria's center is a sister mosque to Corpus Christi.
"Yesterday was very shocking. A lot of members were crying, including the imam (prayer leader)," he said said. "It was somber feeling. Seeing their mosque, and then all of a sudden, there's nothing left of it."
The cause of the mosque fire is unknown and being investigated by the Victoria Fire Marshal's Office, the state fire marshal's office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to the Victoria Advocate.
In the past month, there have been two other mosque fires nationwide, including one in Bellevue, Wash., and another in Lake Travis. The Bellevue mosque was determined to be arson. Lake Travis fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire at the Islamic Center of Lake Travis, which was nearing completion and scheduled to open in the spring, according to the Austin American Statesman.
In Canada, gunmen opened fire on the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec during evening prayers Sunday, killing several and wounding several others.
In Texas, Abe Ajrami, a Victoria mosque spokesman, asked the public to "not politicize the situation" and "give a chance to law enforcement" to determine the fire's cause.
Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, emailed a statement to the Caller-Times about the fire. Farenthold also represents Victoria and surrounding areas.
Once again, images show colossal crowds taking to the streets against Trump
"While we wait for law enforcement to complete a thorough investigation, I would remind residents that Victoria is a caring community and a wonderful place to live," Farenthold wrote. "I truly hope this was an accident and not something done out of misguided anger."
The Victoria mosque alsowas burglarized earlier this month, and the Corpus Christi mosque has been targeted by vandals on several occasions.
The fire occurred hours after President Trump signed an executive order barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. Since then, a number of immigrants have been detained at airports across the country, including Austin and Dallas.
Hundreds of people assembled outside the terminals at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to denounce the president's order.
Meanwhile, the president of the University of Texas issued a statement Sunday saying the the state's largest institution of higher learning has 110 students, faculty members and scholars who are citizens of the countries named in Trump's order.
"Many of the UT community members from the affected countries are currently in the United States and we strongly encourage them to refrain from international travel at this time," University President Gregory Fenves said in his letter. "To those who are abroad, please exercise caution and know that we are doing everything we can regarding your return to UT. My leadership team is monitoring the impact of the order. As its meaning is clarified, we will continue communicating with those affected."
Tagari emigrated from South Africa during 1990s-era apartheid, so she could provide a better life for her children.
"What's happened in the last few days feels a lot like apartheid," she said. "(People are being) targeted for religion ... it doesn't sit too well."
Jifi Bahlool immigrated to the United States from Syria in the early 1990s. He said he does not have family directly affected by the travel ban.
"Basically, I think the ban is un-American, inhumane and is cutting families off from each other," he said. "It's biased and bigoted."
More than $700,000 has been donated by about 16,000 people to help rebuild the Victoria Islamic Center. Donations have come from as far away as Europe.
Dr. Haroon Patel, who was most recently in the news for being part of the medical team that separated conjoined twins last year, said mosques across the country are targets.
"Since before the election of Trump and certainly since then, people have become emboldened," Patel said. "This is no accident that it has come to the forefront."
Corpus Christi members offered emotional support this weekend to their brothers and sisters in Victoria, and have plans for fundraisers, Patel said.
While in Victoria, Jifi Bahlool was encouraged and amazed by the outpouring of love and support from the local community and elsewhere.
"America is still a good place with a lot of good people around who are kind," he said. "I think it unified a lot of people."
Contributing: John Moritz, USA TODAY. Folow Julie Garcia on Twitter: @Caller_Jules