Texas mosque destroyed in fire, congregation vows to rebuild

A Muslim centre in Victoria, Texas has been gutted by fire within hours of Donald Trump announcing a ban on citizens from seven Islamic countries entering the United States.

 The blaze at the mosque was engulfed in flames. But despite previous attacks on the building, community leaders declined to speculate whether the fire was the result of arson.

Nobody was in the building when the fire began during the early hours of Saturday morning.

“It’s a house of worship,” Shahid Hashmi, president of the centre told the Victoria advocate as he watched the fire. Nearly 20 members of the mosque held morning prayers in the street as the emergency services fought the blaze.

The mosque was the victim of a burglary on January 21 and in July 2013, a man admitted painting H8 - short hand for hate - on one of the mosque's outside walls.

The fire was reported about 2 a.m. after a worker at a nearby convenience store noticed smoke and flames. By 6 a.m., the local fire marshal's office was investigating. The office has requested assistance from state fire investigators and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive

Members of the congregation held prayers on a nearby sidewalk as investigators began work. The congregation set up a fundraising page with an aim at raising $450,000.