BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Two and a half months ago a coward set off a bomb at a mosque in Bloomington where people were gathered to pray. Six days ago, at that same mosque, a robbery happened. No arrests have been made in either case.
No law enforcement agency is saying that these cases are related, criminally. But they are related in reality in that they have torn at the fabric of the exact same community so tonight, a leader at that mosque, Dar al Farooq, sat down with Jana Shortal to talk about it.
Mohamed Omar said he felt safe before August of this year at Dar al Farooq.
After all, the mosque and center is there for a very specific reason of safety.
“We came to Bloomington because it was safe and our center was in Bloomington because it was a place where you could raise your kids, a place you can trust…that was before the incident, before it happened.” The incident was a bomb, during the most sacred of times, during prayer. I asked Mohamed what changed that day.
He said, everything. “Having the fear that someone would come anytime and hurt you or do something you don't know what is coming next. That’s what changed,” said Omar.
In the two and half months since that fear finds it's oxygen in two facts.
One; there have been no arrests, despite the FBI offering a $30,000 reward for information leading them to make any. Two: because six days ago they Dar al Farooq was robbed.
“Burglary happens everywhere but when this one comes in the middle of the commotion going on it adds salt to injury,” said Omar.
If you have any information to help the FBI as it pertains to the bombing, call: 1-800-CALL-FBI
If you have any information to help the Bloomington Police as it pertains to the robbery, call: 952-563-4900