Minnesota: Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has called the explosion at a Bloomington mosque on Saturday as “an act of terrorism.”
Describing the attack as “a hate crime,” Dayton said that he would be glad to do anything he could do to put a stop on such type of attacks.
“What a terrible, dastardly, cowardly act was committed,” Minneapolis Star-Tribune quoted Dayton as saying.
Dayton made these remarks during a visit with a delegation of public officials to the Dar Al Farooq Islamic center in Bloomington.
An explosion had occurred at Bloomington’s Dar Al Farooq Community Center on Saturday, which reverberated beyond the neighborhood.
Dozens of people were inside the mosque when the blast went off.
No injuries were reported in the early-morning blast. However, the building sustained damage to its front, and photographs from the scene showed a large shattered window, singed blinds and charring around the outside, the New York Times reported.
ALSO READ: Dar Al Farooq mosque in US hit by explosion during prayers
Executive director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota Asad Zaman has announced a USD 24,000 award for any information leading to the perpetrator.
Well-wishers came to express support for the centre and its members throughout the Sunday morning.
They also left flowers near the window shattered by the explosion.
According to the reports, the blast had heavily damaged the imam’s office and sent smoke wafting through the large building.
Meanwhile, the FBI is continuing its investigation into attack, which it said was caused due to an improvised explosive device.
The blast at a Bloomington mosque comes amid a rise in reports of anti-Muslim incidents in the U.S., including vandalism at mosques.
With ANI inputs