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Police: Second blaze at Bellevue mosque not a hate crime

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Police say investigators do not believe that a fire at a vacant mosque in Bellevue last week was a hate crime.

Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett told a community meeting Saturday that those involved will be brought to justice, but he said there's nothing to indicate that the blaze was started as a result of hate or bias toward the Muslim community.

Wednesday's blaze comes after a homeless man set the mosque on fire in January 2017.

The police chief said investigators found mattresses and other trash indicating that the vacant mosque was being used. He says individuals, who may have been teenagers, were seen running from the structure minutes before smoke was reported.

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Mylett said police will thoroughly investigate and will make sure the appropriate charges are pursued.

Masood Hassan is a member of the Eastside Islamic Center and says he lives just a few blocks from the Mosque. He came to watch the fire on Wednesday and shared some video of the flames with KIRO 7. When he spoke to us, he was constantly looking back at the Mosque building checking its condition.

“My heart was racing. I was just praying to God the whole time,” Hassan said.

He said the damage also strikes at the heart of the Muslim community. Many members of the Eastside Islamic Center watched and wondered if this fire would be a major setback. Omer Lone said leaders were trying to start rebuilding - they've been renting space in Bellevue for prayers recently.

Lone now wonders if any step can truly keep them safe. “Once you can take, it but twice it completely breaks you apart you know,” he said.

Anyone with information about the cause of Wednesday's fire is encouraged to call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or make an online tip by going to www.crimestoppers.com