Authorities have arrested and charged with arson a man federal prosecutors said is responsible for setting fires at two Minneapolis mosques and separately spray-painting the district office door of a Muslim American member of Congress, according to a news release from the US Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Minnesota.
Jackie Rahm Little, 36, also known as Joel Arthur Tueting, was arrested Saturday by the Blue Earth County Sheriff\u2019s Office before being taken into federal custody a day later by agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the release said.
Little had a court appearance Monday but didn\u2019t enter a plea, CNN affiliate WCCO reported. He has a \u201cknown history of arson or suspected arson,\u201d including one incident occurring just last year, according to the affidavit in support of the complaint against him.
It was not clear if Little has an attorney.
According to the affidavit, Little allegedly started a fire the evening of April 23 in a bathroom at the Masjid Omar Islamic Center, located in what\u2019s commonly known within the community as Somali Mall.
On April 24, the affidavit says, Little was seen in surveillance footage going into the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque, or Mercy Islamic Center, where a fire erupted on the third floor soon after, prompting an evacuation, including about 40 children. The damage likely totaled tens of thousands of dollars, the affidavit says, citing a mosque representative.
No one was hurt in either incident.
The fires came months after Little allegedly harassed a member of the US House of Representatives, whose name was redacted from the affidavit. The office of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar confirmed she was the representative targeted.
Little sent emails to the representative\u2019s congressional email account in late December, the affidavit says. In January, surveillance footage showed him entering the representative\u2019s district office, and he allegedly spray-painted \u201c500\u201d on the front door. Little spray-painted the same \u201c500\u201d on the side of a patrol vehicle belonging to a Somali officer for the Minneapolis Police Department and in an entryway to Somali Mall, the affidavit said.
The meaning of the graffiti is unknown, the affidavit said.
In a statement, Omar thanked federal and local law enforcement for bringing \u201cthis suspect to justice.\u201d
\u201cWe are witnessing an epidemic of hate against the Muslim community and other religious minorities in Minnesota and globally right now,\u201d Omar said. \u201cThis campaign of terror is designed to keep us fearful and divided. As Muslim-Americans and as Minnesotans, we will not be terrorized. We will continue to stand united against bigotry because love is stronger than hate.\u201d
In cases where no one is hurt, a conviction on a federal arson charge carries a minimum sentence of five years up to 20, according to the Department of Justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n