660 News | Imam concerned after break-in to northeast Calgary mosque; police say not hate-related

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Imam concerned after break-in to northeast Calgary mosque; police say not hate related

660 News | November 17, 2015

by IAN CAMPBELL AND JUSTIN SLIMM

Posted Nov 17, 2015 4:08 pm MST

Reporter Ian Campbell

Muslims belonging to the Al Madinah Calgary Islamic Centre are a little on edge and wondering if a break-in at their northeast location could be backlash for Paris.

Members found their mosque had been broken into late Monday night, after attending a vigil for victims in the downtown core.

Thieves used two crowbars to gain entry to the building, which is currently under renovation, and made off with more than $1,000 in coins and a computer.

Imam Syed Soharwardy told 660 NEWS that all of their charitable information, including info on their donors was on the hard drive.

“I was talking about the backlash, there was a mosque that was burned two days ago in Peterborough and then last night there was a woman attacked in public by someone in Toronto and then all of the sudden our Imam called us while I was in the vigil and said we had a break-in,” he said. “I drove back here and saw the broken doors, the broken locks.”

Soharwardy added that the worst part is they don’t know the motive.

At this stage they’re concerned over the loss of personal information and they’ve begun to notify their membership.

“The timing is very, very bad. We’re talking about Paris attacks and terrorism, all that kind of thing and the backlash that’s happening to Muslim communities,” said Soharwardy who adds they are already on edge.

He adds the loss of funds as they try to renovate and build their new site along 80th Avenue northeast, is a big loss.

Calgary Police say they are investigating this but add this doesn’t appear to have the hallmark traits of a “hate crime”.

They told 660 NEWS that they suspect this could be drug related.

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