Canada mosque deliberately set on fire

The Ontario Fire Marshal is investigating and no further details will be released, police said.

Police have confirmed that a fire at a Peterborough, Ont., mosque was set deliberately.

Police and fire officials arrived on Saturday at around 11 p.m.at Parkhill Rd. west of Monaghan Rd.to Masjid Al-Salaam after receiving a call of smoke coming out of the mosque.

Vice president Sultan says police informed them that they suspect the fire to malicious and are treating it like a hate crime. “It’s a big concern”, Abdella said.

No one was injured in the fire but the building has been rendered unusable, Abdella said.

“Damage is estimated at CA$80,000 (US$60,000)”, the Peterborough Examiner reported.

Police couldn’t say whether the fire had any connection to Friday’s terror attacks in Paris, that ISIL is taking credit for. “We have a proud history as a welcoming and friendly place to live, just as it was when my family arrived here 20 years ago”, said Monsef.

Abdellah continued by stating the incident was unexpected, and that the mosque has long had a positive relationship with the Peterborough community.

“Attacking a place of worship is a despicable act”, Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett said in a statement.

“Offences such as this, committed in relation to a place of worship are taken very seriously and the police service will make every attempt to determine who is responsible”, Peterborough police said in a news release Sunday. “Masjid Al-Salaam, the name of the mosque, means Mosque of Peace”.