Bond denied for man accused of torching mosque

The fire was set late Sunday night at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce.

He faces up to 30 years in prison with the two charges combined, said NBC News.

The blaze on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks caused no injuries, but burned a large hole in the building.

“A search warrant was obtained and a search of Schreiber’s house was conducted that revealed Schreiber owns a motorcycle consistent with the surveillance video footage”, says Major David R. Thompson, director of law enforcement for the Sheriff’s Office, in a statement. “ALL ISLAM IS RADICAL”, Schreiber posted on Facebook, according to The Washington Times.

Records show that Schreiber was twice sentenced to state prison for theft, according to AP – from March 2008 to July 2009 and from June 2010 to August 2014.

St. Lucie County Judge Philip Yacucci ordered Schreiber held without bail Thursday, calling him a danger to the community and a flight risk. It took about four-and-a-half hours for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

Lucie County Sheriff’s Department told reporters Wednesday evening that local authorities, working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, had arrested Joseph Michael Schreiber, 32, in the late-night attack on the Fort Pierce Islamic Center, which was captured on surveillance video.

Mateen had attended the Fort Pierce Islamic Center since 2003, Imam Syed Shafeeq Rahman told CNN earlier this year. His father is among roughly 100 people who regularly attend the mosque.

The St. Lucie Sheriff’s Office arrested Schreiber Wednesday after receiving multiple tips, according to Maj.

Thompson said his office received several tips leading to Schreiber as the suspect and they were able to supplement that evidence with other security video in the area.

That led investigators to Schreiber’s home in Port St. Lucie.

Mary Ellen Webster, 50, said she’s grateful that authorities “got (Schreiber) where he needs to be”.

“I guess he didn’t know where else to go”, Benson said, adding that Schreiber’s parents are “shocked, just like any of us would be if it were our child”. Schreiber also temporarily went to Benson’s synagogue, Temple Beth El Israel, for a short period a year ago. “He is now here in our criminal investigations division, being questioned as we speak”, he said. Worshipers say they have since been verbally attacked, and in July, a man was charged with battery for allegedly beating an attendee in the mosque’s parking lot.

The fire was part of an escalating series of threats and violence perpetuated against the mosque and its members, said Mr Ruiz.