The FBI Birmingham Field Office said late Saturday that a suspect was arrested in connection with an arson attack at the Gadsden Islamic Society. Officials have not released the person's name or a charge.
The announcement followed a Wednesday night incident at the mosque on South 9th Street, after public tips and work with Gadsden police. WVTM 13 reported that the arrest came out of that collaboration.
What Cameras Caught Wednesday
Surveillance video from Nov. 11 showed a masked person lighting a Molotov cocktail and throwing it at the mosque entrance before running away, WVTM reported. AL.com described a man in gray clothing, a hoodie and a mask approaching the Gadsden Islamic Society and throwing an object at the front entrance, which triggered the fire.
Gadsden firefighters were called around 6:20 p.m. for a reported trash fire. When they arrived, WVTM reported, the mosque's owner had already extinguished a burning doormat. Fire crews did not get involved, and the building was not damaged.
AL.com reported that the fire engulfed a doormat, that people in the neighborhood noticed it and put it out before it spread, and that no one was injured.
Rewards Offered Before the Arrest
WVTM reported that the Council on American-Islamic Relations had offered $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. In a separate report, AL.com said the FBI was offering up to $20,000 for information leading to the identification and conviction of whoever was responsible.
In its story on the arrest, AL.com also described as much as $30,000 in reward money offered in connection with the incident. The reporting did not say whether anyone had been paid.
What the City and the FBI Said
Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford said the city would not tolerate violence. "We will not tolerate violence of any kind in our city," he said, and he thanked the Gadsden Police Department, the FBI and other law enforcement partners.
FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons said the arrest "reflects the tireless work and close collaboration of our law enforcement partners at every level." The field office says the investigation continues, and authorities still have not named the person in custody or announced a charge.
