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Ray Lazier Lengend Indicted In Four New Year's Day Arson Attacks

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A Queens Village man accused of four New Year's Day arson attacks, including one on an Islamic cultural center, has been indicted on state and federal hate crime charges.

Ray Lazier Lengend was charged with arson as a hate crime and other charges accusing him of throwing Molotov cocktails at four buildings, including the Imam Al Khoie Foundation just off the Van Wyck Expressway and a home used as a Hindu temple.

The attacks occurred within a two hour time period inside of a two mile radius.

No one was injured in the attacks.

Authorities say Lengend had personal grievances with all of the targets and made broad anti-Muslim statements.

The indictments were unsealed Monday in Queens Supreme Court and Brooklyn Federal Court.

Lengend faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count of arson as a hate crime.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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