Vandals armed with aerosol cans firebomb mosque while Islamic community celebrate end of Ramadan 

‘Why are they hating us?’ Vandals armed with aerosol cans firebomb mosque while Islamic community celebrate the end of Ramadan

  • A mosque in northern Perth was deliberately lit on fire in Sunday’s early hours
  • Emergency crews arrived on site at 12.20am to find chairs and a palm tree on fire
  • An arson investigation is underway after aerosol cans were found by forensics
  • The mosque’s leader estimates the mosque’s repair bill could reach $250,000 

A Perth mosque has been firebombed as the Islamic community marked the end of Ramadan.

Emergency crews arrived at the mosque in Mirrabooka at 12.20am on Sunday morning to find chairs and a palm tree had been deliberately lit on fire.

The blaze spread to an air conditioning unit – and smoke and water badly damaged the second storey of the building.

Emergency crews arrived at the Mirrabooka mosque in Perth (pictured) to find palm tree and chairs on fire

Crews contained the blaze but the fire spread into the building via an air conditioning unit, with the floor's second storey badly damaged by smoke and water

Crews contained the blaze but the fire spread into the building via an air conditioning unit, with the floor’s second storey badly damaged by smoke and water

A spokesman for West Australian police said an arson investigation was ongoing, after six aerosol cans were seized by forensics at the scene on Sunday.

Police added that state security would be involved were the offence deemed to be racially motivated.

Speaking to 7 News, mosque leader Ameer Ali said he hadn’t had any trouble in three decades and had a positive relationship with the community.

The mosque's leader Ameer Ali said the religious centre had never seen any trouble in 30 years

The mosque’s leader Ameer Ali said the religious centre had never seen any trouble in 30 years

‘We do everything for the community,’ he said.

‘Why are they hating us? I don’t know.’ 

Speaking to 9 News, Mr Ali said the mosque had been operating for 30 years off the generosity of its members at weekly collections. 

‘Every Friday something like 2000 people come to pray at this place. There have been no incidents so far, nothing happened.

‘It’s heartbreaking – if someone was doing this deliberately then they knew what they were doing.’ 

The mosque’s repair bill could hit upwards of $250,000.

An arson investigation is ongoing into the fire, with West Australian police saying that state security would be involved were the offence deemed to be racially motivated

An arson investigation is ongoing into the fire, with West Australian police saying that state security would be involved were the offence deemed to be racially motivated

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