ROTFLMFAO....thanks for my new tagline..........*snort* :-)
Posted on 07/25/2005 5:30:59 PM PDT by 4.1O dana super trac pak
PATERSON - It was to be a Muslim youth center, a place for people to meet and mingle, but after a fire ravaged the building Sunday, it was nothing more than a toppled pile of charred bricks.
A fast-moving blaze broke out around 4 p.m. and within 30 minutes had destroyed the historic warehouse at West Railway and Genessee avenues. The outer walls did not buckle under pressure, but everything inside succumbed. Three stories collapsed into one, and the wooden interiors fed the fire's fury even more.
The Islamic Center of Passaic County purchased the abandoned warehouse in June 2003 for $1.25 million - money raised entirely from local donations. Community members wanted to build a place for their children to spend time after school and on weekends.
Tucked away inside South Paterson, across the street from the city's outdoor produce market, the youth center would have been in the heart of North Jersey's Muslim community. Nearly 25,000 Muslims live in a four-mile radius.
But since there was nothing inside the building, and no utilities hooked up, some were left wondering if this was arson. The building's windows were nailed shut with boards, and the doors locked. A wooden 8-foot-tall fence used to hug the perimeter.
"It's very suspicious," said Sohail Mohammed, a community member. "Things are pointing in that direction. I hope not, but I'm afraid that it is."
Others on the scene said this could be a backlash because of deadly bombings in London this month, believed to be set off by Islamic extremists. Many said they would reserve judgment until an investigation was concluded.
Crews from Paterson, Clifton, and other surrounding towns got the fire under control. No one was injured. Arson specialists from the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office and Paterson Police Department were examining the scene Sunday evening.
"The fire was very fast and intense," said Paterson Councilman Aslon Goow, a member of the public safety committee. "Within five minutes everything caved in. It burned entirely from one end to the other."
Members of the Islamic Center of Passaic County planned to meet Sunday night and discuss the next steps: clearing debris and moving forward.
"It's a tragic day," said Nabil Abbassi, head of the development committee. "But we are resolved to continue in this project."
Muchos gracias.
ROTFLMFAO....thanks for my new tagline..........*snort* :-)
Although there are many ways, these guys would use rusty nails to skin a goat.
...a Madrassah in the heart of New Jersey...
Damn sure did, didn't it?
Fortunately, all the children attending the flame-thrower and Molotov Incendiary classes escaped without harm.
How Sad.
They were going to graduate tomorrow, too. This leaves them only a few days to cram for the final exam extra credit in church burning.
Now where will the Tupperware ladies find new customers?
*Note: The London bombs were packed in Tupperware containers.
Don't even think about starting with the Baptists . We are in church on Sundays
Glad to read about the happy ending for the two fraudsters. Crime solved and the world a better place.
If only we can be so lucky is this case.
C'mon fire!
Remember that spate of church burnings about 5-6 years ago. I'll bet the libs jumped right in to help rebuild them. < /insanity >
Fire al-Reichtaq!
I just want to step in here and say that I have nothing to say on the matter.
I smell insurance fraud, myself. If the Christian Hordes in Paterson (whoever they are) didn't torch the mosques after 9-11, why should they do so after London?
Three questions that I'd like answers for ---
a) If they can raise $1.25 million from 'local' sources to buy the building, why weren't they able to raise enough money from the 25,000 local muslims to buy a couple of sofas & chairs, baseketballs etc to create a youth center in 2 years?
Maybe I'm being to critical, but the youth centers that I've been involved in starting have always gone for activities then a building. Why didn't they have an up & running youth program to move into the building.
If the building needed repairs (which it probably did), again, why weren't they able to raise money to get them done? Was it a factor in their development plan?
b) Since there is no rioting, can we assume that there were no korans involved?
what kind of islamic center would go for 2 years and not have a koran in it? (Oh, yeah, it was empty after 2 years)
c) Nabil Abbassi says that he is going to continue the project. What project, looks like they haven't done anything for 2 years.
The last time something like this happened, wasn't the perp found out to be a muslim?
"The fire was very fast and intense..."
As in FIRE FOR EFFECT (FFE).
Battalion, target number ALPHA FOXTROT DZ241006, six rounds, shell WP, fuze VT, at my command...
Battalion, stand by...FIRE!
Semper Fi,
Must be the Klan's Middle Eastern chapter......'cept they burn children rather than crosses.....
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