Arson at Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center under investigation, police say

Police in Philadelphia are investigating an arson at an Islamic center over the weekend. 

Police and firefighters responded to a call about a fire at the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center on the 1400 block of Tyson Avenue around 2 a.m. Sunday, police said. 

Firefighters put out a blaze in the building's enclosed front porch. No one was in the building at the time, and no injuries have been reported, according to police. 

Philadelphia fire marshals also responded to the scene and determined the fire was arson. Mosque leaders believe this was a targeted attack.

Surveillance footage appears to show the moment a person threw a lit object into the center's porch. 

Mashuqul Khan, the mosque's president, said the damage is painful to see.

"We don't do anything bad for the community. We are doing good things. And how come this community, some people, they don't like and they want to burn this place?" Khan said.

The mosque is a haven for many Muslims in Northeast Philadelphia, Khan said. Now, they're worried about their safety. 

"They're targeting our mosque," Khan said.

In a statement on social media, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro denounced the violence and said his office is working with the mosque to "offer full support as they recover from this senseless act."

"Violence of any kind targeted at our Muslim neighbors has no place in this country," the post said in part. "Every Pennsylvanian deserves to feel safe in their house of worship. And no matter who you pray to, I want you to know that you have a home here in Pennsylvania."

Northeast detectives are investigating the fire. No arrests have been made.

The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case. In a statement, the organization also called on state and federal authorities to investigate the fire.

Philadelphia Commissioner Omar Sabir announced Wednesday he has contributed an additional $2,500 toward the reward. He also urged law enforcement to investigate whether the attack was driven by anti-Muslim sentiment.

"The community deserves a full, honest answer," Sabir said during a press conference Wednesday.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives asked for the public's help with the investigation and said it is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. The bureau "places a priority on investigating houses of worship fires," the statement says.

Anyone with information can call the ATF at 888-ATF-TIPS, email ATFTips@atf.gov or visit the ATF's website.

Members were back Monday to show their support. 

"Knowing that somebody tried to intentionally harm the community and something that belongs to all of the community, the neighborhood, is really shocking," Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director of the chapter, said.

An online fundraising page for the mosque says it was founded in 2004 and was already raising money to build a larger space even before the fire. The fire caused significant damage to the existing building, it says.