Fire in Unfinished Mosque Near Simferopol Believed to Be Arson

28.12.2010, 12:03
Fire in Unfinished Mosque Near Simferopol Believed to Be Arson - фото 1
The Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Crimea believes the fire in an unfinished mosque in a village near Simferopol was an act of arson and estimates 100 thousand UAH in direct losses from the fire.

Підпал.jpgThe Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Crimea believes the fire in an unfinished mosque in a village near Simferopol was an act of arson and estimates 100 thousand UAH in direct losses from the fire.

"Because of the local residents's testimonies and the nature of fires we have reason to believe that the cause of the fire, which destroyed the mosque roof and partially damaged its walls, is arson — a intentional criminal act committed by an unknown person or group of persons," says Crimean mufti Emirali Ablaev.

As UNIAN informs, according to police, the unfinished building was on territory occupied illegally.

In a commentary to Radio Liberty, Colonel Vladimir Ivanov of the Ministry of Emergency Situations named arson as the most probable cause of the fire: "There is no electric wiring, the building stands alone. Naturally, one of the probablities is arson."

One of the leaders of the Majlis, Refat Chubarov, agreed that vandalism on Muslim holy sites in Crimea are not investigated: "Police still have not found the perpetrators who destroyed Muslim cemeteries in February and April 2008 and who tried to burn the mosque Seit-Settar. Impunity always encourages these potential criminals."