Remember That Xmas Mosque Fire Last Week? I Told You So.

Gary Moore

Last week I wrote an article about a fire at a Houston Mosque in which I suspected that the fire was started by other Muslims. In addition, I also said that since the mosque was so quick to say there was no need for a formal investigation and that it was an accident, the fire was probably caused by an accident with flammable or explosive material that the police might be interested in knowning about (i.e. bombs, ammunition, etc.). I then humorously suggested that since we may never know what truly happened, perhaps the cause of the fire was Santa leaving a lump of burning coal in their stockings.

Well, thus far, the first part of my suspicions have been proven correct. While the official cause of the fire is arson, I suspect there is more that is not being said about my second point- especially since the BATF was called in as part of the investigation and that the accused has been going daily to the mosque for the past seven years. Via the Houston Chronicle:

A Houston man has been arrested in connection with a suspected arson at a mosque on Christmas Day, but the motive for the crime remains a mystery, with the suspect maintaining he was a regular at the mosque.

A spokeswoman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed that the suspect, 37-year-old Gary Nathaniel Moore of Houston, was arrested early Wednesday. Moore appeared in court at 7 a.m., spokeswoman Nicole Strong said, and bond was set at $100,000.

 According to a charging instrument released by the Harris County District Clerk, Moore told investigators at the scene that he has attended the storefront mosque for five years, coming five times per day to pray seven days per week.

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Using surveillance video from multiple businesses nearby, investigators were able to identify Moore, according to records. A search warrant of his home was conducted, and investigators recovered a backpack and clothing similar to that which was seen in surveillance footage, as well as half of a two-pack of charcoal lighter-fluid bottles that seemed to match another lighter fluid bottle found inside the mosque.

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