A mosque in the northeastern Australian state of Queensland has come under arson attack for the second time this year.
Fire broke out early Friday in the mosque in the Darling Downs region’s Toowoomba city.
Reports indicate the attack seriously damaged the mosque.
Australian police sources say an investigation has been launched into the incident. There are currently no suspects.
Police and Corrective Services Minister Jo-Ann Miller arrived in Toowoomba following the attack.
“This has been the second attack on this Islamic community in three months. It’s shocking, it’s outrageous and we want people to come forward so that the police can get the names of the perpetrators, so they can investigate it and if necessary they are charged,” Miller said.
Reports say the fire started in the mosque’s office before spreading to other parts of the building.
Authorities say the incident is suspicious and they are seeking to determine any connections between the blaze earlier in the day and another attack three months earlier.
The latest act of violence against the mosque in Australia comes as the country’s Muslim community has been experiencing a wave of Islamophobia.
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