The Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Greater Los Angeles office (CAIR-LA) called for an FBI investigation into the death of a Yermo, Calif. imam as a potential hate crime after the Muslim religious leader’s body was discovered inside a burned-down residence this past weekend.

California imam Ali Mohammed

Ali Mohammed, the founder of a Yermo mosque, went to the nearby house on Saturday to clean up hate graffiti written inside before he was killed in an explosion, family members said.
The house was once occupied by Mohammed and his family, but they were forced to move out recently becase of alleged anti-Muslim harassment and prejudice by people in the area. One person suspected of harassing the family was sent to prison in 2008 according to area officials.

Police in the area are calling the explosion and fire “suspicious” but have not yet made a determination as to the cause. An autopsy on Mohammed was expected to be performed on Thursday.

Imam Ali Mohammed was regarded as a respected community leader who had helped establish other mosques in the area.

“We are deeply troubled by the tragic death of Imam Ali Mohammed and ask that the FBI and local law enforcement authorities immediately conduct an investigation into the possibility of a bias motive in his death,” said CAIR-LA staff attorney Ameena Qazi.

The mosque founded by the imam and located near the burned house was also the target of an arson attack in 2007.

Nazi swastikas, American symbols and racial epithets were spraypainted on the walls of the home two days before it burned down, according to Ali Mohammed’s son. PHOTOS: Mohammed family

Graffiti written on the walls inside the house before the fire that killed Mohammed reportedly said: “F*** you Arab,” “KKK, sand n**er,” “go home Arab” with American flags and a Nazi swastika also drawn on the walls.
“My father was a deeply caring person who worked toward building peace, unity and harmony among residents of the High Desert,” said Hadie Mohammed, the imam’s son. “During this time of immense grief, my family is grateful for the condolences and community support and pray that those who committed this horrific crime will face justice.”

The incident is another in a wave potential hate crimes.

Earlier this month a mosque in Cypress, Calif. was vandalized with graffiti, stating “F**k You, “we’re going to kill you,” and “US Military is going to kill you all.”

Police are treating the vandalism at the Cypress mosque as a hate crime.

CAIR’s south Florida chapter has also called for a hate crime investigation for a similar case of vandalism against a mosque in West Kendall, Fla. near Miami that happened last weekend.

Windows were smashed at the West Kendall mosque just six months after it was sprayed with 51 bullets that also broke windows and left holes in the building’s dome.