An improvised explosive device (IED) was hurled through a window into the office of the imam at a mosque near Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday morning.
Some 15 to 20 people were inside the mosque preparing for prayers when the bomb exploded, but were not physically injured by the blast, which occurred at around 5 am at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, a southern suburb of Minneapolis.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the investigation into the attack, according to a news release by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is also closely following the case.
“Every place of worship, for all Minnesotans of every faith and culture, must be sacred and safe,” said Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton in a statement condemning the attack on Saturday afternoon. He said his prayers are with the children, families and faith leaders who attend the mosque.
A $20,000 reward is being offered by two Islamic organizations who have split the cost: the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim American Society of Minnesota.