Community answers targeting of mosque

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Community answers targeting of mosque

Near-arson was 1 of several anti-Muslim acts in region

Saturday, September 15, 2001

By LEWIS KAMB
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

The fragrance of flowers replaced gasoline fumes outside a North Seattle mosque yesterday as scores of people condemned a man's acts of retaliation against Muslims by flooding the prayer house with peace offerings.

Bouquets, American flags and letters of support overflowed on a brick landing outside the Islamic Idriss Mosque, where authorities say a 53-year-old Kenmore man arrived late Thursday night with a can of gasoline, a gun and bad intentions.


Afternoon prayers as Members of the Northgate-area Islamic Idriss Mosque in afternoon prayers. "It means a lot," the mosque's director of operations, Hisham Farajallah, said of the outpouring of support. "It shows the goodness of the American people and that these are the feelings of the majority. That's what counts." Paul Joseph Brown / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Click for larger photo

"It means a lot," the mosque's director of operations, Hisham Farajallah, said of the outpouring of support. "It shows the goodness of the American people and that these are the feelings of the majority. That's what counts."

Yesterday afternoon, Jews, Christians and Buddhists joined Muslims for an interfaith service at the mosque -- a demonstration of kinship in stark contrast to what transpired less than 24 hours earlier.

Police say a would-be arsonist doused a worshiper's car with gasoline and fired a shot before driving off in his car. It was the latest in a string of anti-Islamic acts reported in the Seattle area in the past few days.

In SeaTac, a cab driver with a beard and a turban was assaulted Thursday night after he picked up two men at a bar.

The apparent backlash from the terrorist attacks on New York and suburban Washington, D.C., prompted Mayor Paul Schell and Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske to reassure leaders of Seattle's Muslim community yesterday with pledges to beef up patrols and offers to assign officers to mosques and community centers.

"We're there to ensure there is religious freedom in this city and it will be protected," Schell said.

The incident at the Northgate mosque may have turned out much worse if anxious members hadn't been on alert.

At 10:45 p.m. Thursday, Issa Toandeel and a fellow member stepped outside. The men were among several young Muslims who had stayed after evening prayer services to protect the temple, which had received threatening phone calls in the past few days. "We will kill you like sheep," one caller said.

Toandeel smelled a strong gasoline odor wafting from his Jeep, and saw a man running. He was carrying a gas can and a handgun. While his companion called 911, Toandeel caught up to the man and confronted him.

Police said the man pointed the gun at Toandeel and squeezed the trigger three times -- but the gun didn't fire. On the fourth squeeze, it did. A bullet struck the ground.

The suspect ran to his car, a green Ford sedan parked at a nearby supermarket. Toandeel gave chase in his Jeep, and tried blocking the Ford.

"The guy backed his car into the Jeep," Kerlikowske said. "He then drove off at a high speed -- really crazy."

The suspect lost control as he attempted a turn, smashing into a telephone pole and ripping through a wooden fence at a hospice for the elderly across the street from the mosque. The car burst into flames, sparking a small fire in nearby trees.

Officers rescued the suspect, who was described as unconscious and smelling of alcohol. He was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where he remained under police guard in satisfactory condition last night with facial cuts.

He is being held for investigation of arson and assault, but likely won't be charged with a hate crime.

"He didn't make any derogatory statements, and there was nothing to tie it together as a hate crime other than speculation," police spokesman Scott Moss said.

Authorities have less doubts about two other hate-filled incidents.

A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of malicious harassment, a felony, in connection with the attack on the cab driver. He is being held in the King County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Sheriff's officials say he approached the cabbie and asked "Are you a terrorist?" The cabbie said he wasn't, but the man allegedly began choking him. Calling the driver a "butcher terrorist," the man punched him in the face, yanked out a large chunk of his beard and knocked his turban off, authorities say.

King County prosecutors yesterday also filed a malicious harassment charge against a 40-year-old Seattle man. Authorities say Lawrence J. Steele was drunk when he walked into the Southwest Seattle Islamic Center in West Seattle Thursday evening and threatened two Muslim men.

"This is the last night you will live in this area," Steele said, according to charging papers. "I'll burn ... this mosque and all of your books."

P-I reporter Lewis Kamb can be reached at 206-615-1246 or lewiskamb@seattlepi.com