Lone vandal damages Islamic Center

When congregants arrived at the Islamic Center of Palm Beach building for morning prayer Friday, they were greeted by smashed windows, a prayer room is disarray and what appeared to be blood splatter in spots throughout the center.

North Palm Beach Police say the suspect broke in through a bathroom window with a tire iron and vandalized the the center, in the 100 block of Castlewood Drive, just south of the intersection of Northlake Boulevard and and Federal Highway.

Sharif Elhosseiny, the center’s president, said he considered the incident a hate crime. Whether it was in retaliation for what the FBI is calling a terrorist attack that left 14 dead on Wednesday in San Bernardino, Calif., he doesn’t know.

“I can’t say for sure that (San Bernardino) was it. The straw that broke the camel’s back, ” he said. “But it’s definitely a hate crime.”

Police released photos from surveillance video around the center of what appears to be a man dressed in all white and a white Miami Heat ball cap on the premises early Friday. Police said after the man made his way into the building he proceeded to turn over furniture, and smash windows and destroy shutters.

Police believe the man left in an SUV Jeep Grand Cherokee or older model Ford Escape that was also caught on surveillance video.

Elhosseiny said there was blood found throughout the center that police believe belongs to the culprit. Spots of a red substance had dried to shards of glass left in some of the window frames.

Later that day, the congregation held afternoon prayer outside under a tarp in the rain. More than 100 people, a little less than the average, came for Friday prayer service, Jummah, he said.

“The people are what really make (the service,)” he said about worshiping outside. “We’re still hopeful.”

Elhosseiny said it was surreal to walk up to the center Friday morning and see the windows smashed. He said they have a good relationship with the community and had never had any incidents since the center was established in 2007. He said neighbors had been asking how they could help, including the Earl Stewart Toyota dealership across the street, which donated $1,000.

His younger brother, Adam Elhosseiny, who was at afternoon service, said the attack seemed to be in “retaliation” to all the warped and negative media attention directed toward Islam and those who use it to justify violence.

“We don’t stand for this. It’s not what the religion is based upon. It is a religion of peace. [At the center] we welcome the community with open arms,” he said.

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter, condemned the incident saying said “such hatred and intolerance are completely unacceptable and have no place in our community.”

The Elhosseiny brothers agreed that overall the community’s attitude has been positive.

“This is one individual, you know. It’s unfortunate, but we don’t hold him to represent the majority of the people here,” said Sharif Elhosseiny.

“This strengthens our resolve,” he said of the incident. “We will continue to educate so people know what Islam is and what Islam is not.”