MINNEAPOLIS: A man who set fires at two mosques in Minnesota in 2023 pleaded guilty to federal charges Wednesday, federal prosecutors said.
Jackie Rahm Little, 38, admitted to one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property for the fires at the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington and the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis. A sentencing date has not been set.
Court records show that Little had a history of mental illness, arson or suspected arson and domestic violence.
“When someone sets fire to a house of worship, it is not only a federal crime, it is an attack on the heart of a community,” Acting US Attorney Joe Thompson said in a statement. “Minnesota has endured too many assaults on our sacred spaces.”
The fire that Little started at the Bloomington mosque on April 24, 2023, forced the evacuation of children who were attending day care and caused more than $378,000 in damage. He also lit a cardboard box on fire the day before in a restroom at the Minneapolis mosque, but was interrupted by an employee before the fire could spread.
Leaders said the fires shocked the local Islamic community and saw them as part of a larger trend of increased attacks on mosques and Muslim institutions across the state and country.
“These violent attacks were meant to instill fear, but instead they have strengthened our community’s resolve,” Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said in a statement. He was at the Bloomington mosque when the fire started there and helped evacuate the children.
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Man pleads guilty to federal charges for setting fires at 2 Minnesota mosque
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Man pleads guilty to federal charges for setting fires at 2 Minnesota mosque
- Court records show Jackie Rahm Little had a history of mental illness, arson and domestic violence
- The fire that Little started at the Bloomington mosque on April 24, 2023, forced the evacuation of children
Trump praises new Honduras leader after talks in US
- Nasry Asfura was sworn in last week after winning November elections with Donald Trump’s backing
- US president threatened to cut aid to Honduras if his ‘friend’ was defeated
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday praised Honduran counterpart Nasry Asfura, whom he endorsed on the campaign trail, following a meeting at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Asfura, a conservative businessman and former mayor of Honduran capital Tegucigalpa, was sworn in last week after winning November elections with Trump’s backing.
Trump had threatened to cut aid to Central America’s poorest country if his “friend” was defeated.
“I had a very important meeting with my friend, and the President of Honduras, Nasry ‘Tito’ Asfura,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Once I gave him my strong Endorsement, he won his Election! Tito and I share many of the same America First Values. We have a close partnership on Security.”
He said the pair discussed investment and trade between the two nations.
Asfura is set to speak to media about the talks Sunday.
The Honduran presidency released a photo of the two leaders smiling and giving a thumbs up.
Asfura already met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on January 12, after which the two countries announced plans for a free trade deal.
His win gave Trump another ally in Latin America after conservatives campaigning heavily on crime and corruption replaced leftists in Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.
Trump has been pressuring countries in Washington’s backyard to choose between close ties with Washington or Beijing.
Asfura, who succeeded left-wing leader Xiomara Castro, has said he is considering switching diplomatic ties from China to the self-ruled island of Taiwan.
On the eve of the Honduran election, Trump in a surprise move pardoned former president Juan Orlando Hernandez, from Asfura’s party, who was serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking.
Hernandez was convicted of helping to smuggle 400 tonnes of cocaine into the United States.
Trump’s decision to pardon him, even as US forces were blowing up alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and tightening the noose on Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington accuses of drug trafficking, drew heavy criticism.
Asfura, a conservative businessman and former mayor of Honduran capital Tegucigalpa, was sworn in last week after winning November elections with Trump’s backing.
Trump had threatened to cut aid to Central America’s poorest country if his “friend” was defeated.
“I had a very important meeting with my friend, and the President of Honduras, Nasry ‘Tito’ Asfura,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Once I gave him my strong Endorsement, he won his Election! Tito and I share many of the same America First Values. We have a close partnership on Security.”
He said the pair discussed investment and trade between the two nations.
Asfura is set to speak to media about the talks Sunday.
The Honduran presidency released a photo of the two leaders smiling and giving a thumbs up.
Asfura already met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on January 12, after which the two countries announced plans for a free trade deal.
His win gave Trump another ally in Latin America after conservatives campaigning heavily on crime and corruption replaced leftists in Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.
Trump has been pressuring countries in Washington’s backyard to choose between close ties with Washington or Beijing.
Asfura, who succeeded left-wing leader Xiomara Castro, has said he is considering switching diplomatic ties from China to the self-ruled island of Taiwan.
On the eve of the Honduran election, Trump in a surprise move pardoned former president Juan Orlando Hernandez, from Asfura’s party, who was serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking.
Hernandez was convicted of helping to smuggle 400 tonnes of cocaine into the United States.
Trump’s decision to pardon him, even as US forces were blowing up alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and tightening the noose on Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington accuses of drug trafficking, drew heavy criticism.
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