CORVALLIS, Ore. (KMTR) -- A continued show of support for the Corvallis Muslim community from the greater community on Sunday, months after arson destroyed a large part of its building.
"My prayer for today is just that. That we do not consider this day an ending.. But a new beginning,” said Reverend Elizabeth Oettinger of First Congregational United Church of Christ, during a ceremony on Sunday.
More than 100 community members helped plant a peace tree at the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center in Corvallis on Sunday, February 13th, 2011.
In November 2010, someone threw a fire bomb into the Islamic Center’s office, burning thousands of dollars worth of equipment, religious texts, furniture and other items.
The FBI is still investigating the arson. It has yet to name or arrest a suspect, but has investigated a person of interest in the case.
The arson came a few days after the FBI arrested a 19-year old Corvallis man and OSU student, Mohamed Osman Mohamud, who attempted to detonate what he thought was a bomb at the Portland Christmas Tree Lightning ceremony in Pioneer Square. The bomb was a hoax set up by investigating authorities, and Mohamud was subsequently arrested. While he lived in Corvallis, Mohamud went to the Corvallis Islamic Center occasionally.
After the arson at the Islamic Center, several community members in the Corvallis area stepped up to help it rebuild. Many local Corvallis professionals donated time and resources to remodel the Mosque’s office.
Sunday’s event was a chance for community members to come together and show support, but also for the Islamic Center to say “thank you.”
The Islamic Center’s director, Mohamed Siala says the support has touched him and the surrounding community positively.
“I'm not going to stop, we'll keep everybody together, that's what it is all about and I hope this tree will really plant love and care and respect, outside and inside our hearts and souls, all of us,” said Siala.
One community member who helped clean up the Islamic Center after the arson, John Hadden rolled up his sleeves to help his friends sort through the rubble. Hadden is not Muslim himself, but has many friends in the community he wanted to help.
Sunday, Hadden was recognized along with others who helped the Mosque pick up the pieces.
”The Muslims in Corvallis don't hold anything against anybody, because they know that the arson wasn't reflected by the community, it's just one act of violence, and there's just not enough good things to say about this community, they're phenomenal people,” says Hadden.
After Sunday’s ceremony, community members helped scoop dirt and compost on to the new peace tree that was planted in front of the Mosque. The mountain hemlock tree will take about 80 years to grow to full height. The tree was also donated by a local business.
The ceremony was organized by the Corvallis chapter of Veterans for Peace.
