Investigation Launched After Fire Reported in German Mosque

TEHRAN (IQNA) – An investigation has been launched after a fire was reported in the backyard of a mosque in the German city of Chemnitz, police said Sunday.

The fire took place in the backyard of Fatih Mosque, affiliated to the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DİTİB), at around 11 p.m. local time (10 p.m. GMT) Saturday.

Police suspect that it could be arson, and launched a multi-pronged operation to probe the incident.

The mosque’s director Enis Sezgi told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he learned about the fire after a police call. He noted that the mosque has been closed to worship after firefighters broke all doors of the mosque and the fumes and unpleasant odor left after the construction supplies in the backyard were burnt down.

The cause of the fire has still not been identified, according to Sezgi, who highlighted that they have been receiving anti-Muslim threat messages in the mail.

Turkish Consul-General Olgun Yücekök told AA that they have been in contact with Saxony police and are closely following the investigation.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s religious services attache Emre Şimşek in Berlin said they were sad about the fire and the material damage that the mosque suffered, but are happy that there have been no casualties.

Germany has experienced a rise in racism and anti-Muslim hatred in recent years. Germany is home to 81 million people and hosts the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Of the country’s nearly 4.7 million Muslims, at least 3 million are of Turkish descent.

Source: Daily Sabah