HOUSTON, Texas — The ATF said Wednesday that a two-alarm fire at a Houston mosque on Christmas was set by an attendee at the worship center. They say it was not a hate crime.
The fire at the Savoy Mosque is ruled an arson. Gary Nathaniel Moore, 37, was arrested and charged with the crime hoax.
Moore told police he had been a member of the mosque for five years and came there to pray five times a day, according to documents.
KTRK reports: “Investigators also cited in court records say they identified Moore as the suspect via surveillance video from a pharmacy adjacent to the mosque. Claims by law enforcement in court records show the suspect was seen walking quickly from the mosque shortly before smoke erupted from the building.
Police allege during a search of Moore’s home that they recovered a backpack and clothing that appeared to be the same items seen in the surveillance video from the time of the fire, court records show.
Police also say they found a single charcoal lighter — which appears to have been sold as a pair — at Moore’s home. In addition, they allege a charcoal lighter found at scene matched the one found at Moore’s home using markers and stamped numbers on the containers, records show.”
No one was injured in the fire.
