According to Thompson, investigators discovered “anti-Islamic propaganda” contained within Facebook posts shared by the recently arrested suspect that corroborate “our fear that this does in fact have to do with hate towards the Islamic community”.
Advertisement
A July post placed on Facebook by Schreiber stated that, “IF AMERICA truly wants peace and safety and pursuit of happiness they should consider all forms of ISLAM as radical”. “ALL ISLAM IS RADICAL, and should be considered TERRORIST AND CRIMANALS [sic] and all hoo [sic] participate in such activity should be found guilty of WAR CRIM until law and order is restored in this attractive free country, all who agree with this statement, like it and make a comment”.
Authorities arrested Joseph Schreiber and book him into the St. Lucie County Jail on Wednesday.
KTLA reports that the mosque at which the fire erupted is not only the same mosque previously attended by the Pulse night club shooter, but also the same mosque once attended by first known American suicide bomber in Syria – a man named Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha.
Schreiber was charged with second-degree felony arson, and authorities will apply Florida’s hate crime enhancement to the charge, which will enhance the second-degree felony charge to a first-degree felony and will carry up to a possible 30-year prison sentence. His father is among roughly 100 people who regularly attend the mosque.
No one was injured.
Numerous arrests relate to relatively minor crimes, such as shoplifting, trespassing, battery, probation violation and larceny, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Bryan Beaty confirmed in an email Wednesday to The Associated Press that an arrest had been made but he declined to disclose any details pending a news conference the agency scheduled later in the evening.
A weekend surveillance video from the mosque showed a man on a motorcycle approaching the building while talking on a cellphone, according to the affidavit. The arson occurred on the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11 attacks, as well as during Eid al-Adha, one of the holiest Muslim holidays.
Federal officials, including the FBI and the Department of Justice, said they will continue to investigate the fire for potential violations of federal law.
Schriber briefly attended torah study classes at Temple Beth El Israel according to Rabbi Bruce Benson.
Benson said Schreiber’s father showed up at his office after his son was arrested, even though he wasn’t a member of his synagogue.
Advertisement
“We are certainly missing our political leaders who are probably too busy campaigning now to do a minimum expression of solidarity” with Florida’s Muslims, Ruiz said.
