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Muslims, Jews, and Christians came together to show support and outrage over Tuesday night's bombings of a Clifton mosque. The leaders are calling the explosions a hate crime.
Among the large collection of people who spoke at the press conference on Wednesday was Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk who said "what happened last night was wrong, hate filled and evil."
Those words were echoed by other religious leaders. Rabbi Abie Ingber called the blasts at the Clifton mosque, "a deplorable, hateful act."
Along with religious leaders, Cincinnati's political leaders were at the news conference to show their support for the center and to condemn the blasts.
All the of the speakers' words rang out in one of the rooms damaged by the blasts. Sheets of plywood cover broken glass doors and windows. The blast also damaged part of a ceiling in the entryway of the building at 3668 Clifton Avenue.
The FBI and other federal and state agencies have joined local fire and police officials in their investigation and Special Agent in Charge Stanley Borgia said two bombs were used. Although he would not how complicated the bombs were, he did say that officials are finding fragments that would shed some light on what kind of devices were used. The FBI has also offered at $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved.
The bombs were left at the door of the main prayer hall and on the porch of a building next to the center blowing a hole in the bottom panel of an old wood door.
As of now no threats have been made against the center and no one is taking responsibility of the explosions at the mostly Sunni mosque. The night of the bombings was not specific in terms of the muslim calendar. Officials at the center say that all muslims are welcome and said that there were no riffs between different Islamic faiths. Muslim leaders say that it isn't the physical loss that concerns them but the hatred that the bombings represent.
For what ever reason for the bombing, the mosque is letting the public know that the bombers didn't win. Last night, a handwritten sign on the door read "Mosque is open. Use side door."
Thursday night the Islamic Center is hosting an all faiths prayer service in which the public is invited to attend. The service begins at 8 p.m..
Reported by: Meghan Mongillo
For the web: Cliff Jenkins
