September 17, 2001

SAN DIEGO -- Amid concerns about their safety, members of the local Islamic community sent their children back to school Monday and received well-wishes from residents who were appalled at recent reports of violence directed at those of Middle Eastern descent.

Two people were being held for questioning after firecrackers were tossed onto the grounds of the Islamic Center of San Diego on Sunday. The investigation was turned over the investigators from the San Diego Fire Department's Metro Arson Strike Team. The two were later released and no arrests had been made at last report.

The mosque in Clairemont was not damaged, but the incident, perhaps directed at the mosque in retaliation for last Tuesday's terrorist attacks, shocked local residents as well as those at the center.

Police officer Aland Nichoas explains why he is on duty outside the mosque Cable-DSL / 56k Woman whose daughter attends a nearby school visits the center on Monday Cable-DSL / 56k Melanie Landers talks about the greeting card she dropped off on behalf of co-workers Cable-DSL / 56k Man who declines to give his name brings flowers to the mosque Cable-DSL / 56k Khalen Areiquat, a worshipper, says retaliation against innocent people isn't the answer to the terrorist attacks Cable-DSL / 56k Center spokesman Abdeljalil Mezgouri says he's mystified by the vandalism Cable-DSL / 56k Adurrahman, an 8-year-old student, gives his impressions of recent events Cable-DSL / 56k Mariam, 9, says American Muslims shouldn't be attacked. Cable-DSL / 56k The FREE RealPlayer plug-in is necessary to play RealMedia.

Police stationed at the center said they would remain on duty around the clock.

"We want to make sure we're on top of things as they come in," said Alan Nicholas, a San Diego police officer who stood watch over the mosque Monday along with members of a private security firm.

"We have to hope people come to reason," said Abdeljalil Mezgouri, the center's spokesman. "We hope people learn that it will not solve a problem by creating another."

Mohamad Nasser, president of the Muslim American Society's San Diego chapter, said the device exploded near the mosque's school. The school, which has about 120 students, has been closed since the terrorist attacks Tuesday.

Police were called by people inside the mosque shortly before 8 p.m. after they heard an explosion outside, said Salgado. Nasser said up to 20 men were inside praying.

The mosque, the largest in San Diego County, was where Muslim leader Abdussattar Shaikh said he met two men later identified as hijackers who crashed an American Airlines jet into the Pentagon.

Shaikh said he took the two men, Nawaf Alhazmi and Khalid Al-Midhar, to live in his Lemon Grove home for a short time, thinking they were students from Saudi Arabia studying English. Shaikh said he was shocked and called the FBI when he heard a radio report identifying his former boarders as terrorists. The mosque has posted security guards outside. Seven paint balls also were thrown at the building yesterday, one of the guards said.

News of the vandalism brought a steady flow of well-wishers who brought flowers and cards.

"We want to let them know we're thinking about them and wishing them well," said Melanie Landres of San Diego, who brought with her a card signed by co-workers. "We hope they won't let a few acts from individuals speak for the community."

One man, who declined to identified, brought flowers with him, which he presented to a man leaving the noon prayer session, along with a hug.

"I have anger in my belly and sadness in my heart," the man said. "But it saddens me when people deface the mosque or frighten the people with firecrackers at this critical time in our nation's history.

Nasser came to the mosque after hearing about the explosion.

"We should not be targeted for hate crimes. We are American like everyone else."

"Right now, I'm feeling a lot of pain and sorrow and a little bit of anger," he said. "We should not be targeted for hate crimes. We are American like everyone else."

About 140 students attended school at the center on Monday, the first day it was opened after Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

Mezgouri, the center's spokesman, said parents were apprehensive about allowing their children to attend and called for increased security measures in light of the recent spate of anti-Islamic incidents. But he said the parents were relying mainly on the presence of police to discourage further vandalism.

Students at the center's school appeared to take all the commotion in stride.

"I feel bad for all the people who died," said one fourth grader. "But it's not right to hurt people because of what they'e wearing, to blame them for what they didn't do."

 SignOnSanDiego's Steve Perez and the Union-Tribune contributed to this report.