Arson attack on Berlin mosque

A fire at Berlin’s largest mosque was probably arson, police said Friday. The fire, which was spotted in the early hours by an employee of the Sehitlik mosque, damaged the facade and one window. Nobody was injured.

Police said their investigations were focusing on an unexploded bottle of propane gas, found by the building. They think the bottle was transported to the mosque in a black rucksack, on a pushcart.

The employee who spotted the fire, at 6:15am (0515 GMT), was able to extinguish it.

The Sehitlik mosque is in the inner-city Berlin district of Neukoelln where many Muslims live. It has room for 1,500 people.

DPA, 19 November 2010