Detectives say mosque fire suspect confessed

The fire burned a hole in the roof of the mosque, but no one was injured in the incident.

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

A Florida mosque was set on fire Monday and authorities have arrested a 32-year-old man in the case, which will be prosecuted as a hate crime, according to WPBF-TV and Reuters.

Joseph Michael Schreiber looked down during most of the brief hearing before St. Lucie County Judge Philip Yacucci.

Thompson said a search warrant was executed at Schreiber’s home, where investigators reported finding evidence linked to the arson, as well as anti-Islamic social media posts.

Joseph Michael Schreiber posted on Facebook that “All Islam is radical” and that all Muslims should be treated as terrorists and criminals.

But a Facebook page apparently belonging to the suspect – established under his name with photos resembling his booking photo – include a message posted on July 12 that said “ALL ISLAM IS RADICAL, and should be considered TERRORIST AND CRIMANALS” written in capital letters with several mispellings. “ALL ISLAM IS RADICAL, and should be considered TERRORIST AND CRIMANALS (sic) and all hoo (sic) participate in such activity should be found guilty of WAR CRIM (sic) until law and order is restored in this lovely free country”.

Ruiz criticized Gov. Rick Scott and other politicians who failed to speak out after the fire and denounce what he called “terrorism”.

“We would welcome the opportunity”, Benson said.

Numerous arrests relate to relatively minor crimes, such as shoplifting, trespassing, battery, probation violation and larceny, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records.

Schreiber showed little emotion at his bond court hearing at the St. Lucie County courthouse during which he was wearing a protective vest as he stood at a podium flanked by a bailiff. Schreiber served time at Lawtey because of a theft conviction.

A former inmate said a man accused of setting fire to a Florida mosque is a “couple cans short of a six pack”. Images posted on Schreiber’s Facebook page, however, suggest that Schreiber could be a Messianic Jew, an adherent to a movement that seeks to merge Jewish practice with Christian belief. He now works as an electrician.

Surveillance video taken from the scene of the crime shows a man wearing a military hat pull up on a motorcycle before midnight, approach the mosque carrying what appears to be a bottle of liquid and some paper, and then a flash of light – possibly an explosion – is seen. The arson occurred on the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11 attacks, as well as during Eid al-Adha, one of the holiest Muslim holidays. It took about four-and-a-half hours for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

The FBI is investigating whether the attack included any federal civil rights violations.

“People have good hearts”, he said.

Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen and his family attended the mosque, and authorities said they believe the fire was deliberately set and was a hate crime. Mateen professed allegiance to the Islamic State group.