In apparent retaliation, Oregon mosque hit by arson attack

Someone broke into the Salman Al-Farisi Islamic Center in Corvallis, Ore., where accused terrorist Mohamed Osman Mohamud occasionally worshiped, and started a fire early Sunday morning, destroying a computer, a chair and a copy of the Koran.

U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton visited the scene and promised an aggressive investigation. “The fact is that violent extremists come from all religions and no religion at all. For one person to blame a group, if that’s what happened here, is uniquely anti-American and will be pursued with the full force of the Justice Department,” Holton said.

Before the arson attack, leaders of the Corvallis mosque had publicly condemned the terrorist plot. “We denounce this horrible plot in the strongest terms and repudiate all those who commit such acts of mindless violence in the name of Islam,” the statement said. “Islam is a religion of peace and these acts are not the legitimate acts of Muslims.”

It’s also important to note that Mohamud was identified as a potential terrorist and intercepted because a fellow Muslim warned authorities about him.

John Hinderaker at Power Line, while claiming to be “unequivocally opposed to arson and other crimes,” then went on to explain how such actions might be understandable, claiming that “a substantial percentage of Muslims favor violent efforts to wipe out other religions and cultures and establish Muslim hegemony over the world.”

Sam Adams, whom Hinderaker called “Portland’s left-wing mayor,” pledged that local residents are “not going to let this change our values of being an open and embracing city” and promised beefed-up patrols around mosques “and other facilities that might be vulnerable to knuckle-headed retribution.”

“It’s heart-warming–special patrols for mosques!” Hinderaker scoffed. “Of course, it was a Christmas tree lighting ceremony that was the target of an attempted car bombing–but that’s different. No special patrols are needed to protect Christians, evidently.”

Right, Mr. Hinderaker. No special patrols to protect Christians, except for the FBI and the entire American law enforcement apparatus that was used to anticipate and prevent an attack by Mohamud, who now sits in jail and is unlikely to see another free day in his life.

Muslim extremists are trying to turn this into a war between religions, rather than attacks by individuals. Hinderaker and others are enlisting in that same cause, focusing not on the overwhelming majority of Muslims who reject violent terrorism, especially in this country, but on the tiny hateful handful.

He and others give that minority what they want.