MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 5, 2018) — The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Sunday called on state and local law enforcement to investigate recent vandalism that was targeted a mosque in Maplewood, Minn. The vandalism has the trademarks of a hate crime, CAIR-MN said.
Two suspects are reportedly shown in surveillance video spray-painting “666,” “Jesus saves,” a cross, and obscenities on a wall of Alsalam Mosque on July 29.
“Given the nature of the vandalism and the empowerment of Islamophobia nationwide by some of our nation’s top officials, we urge law enforcement authorities to treat this vandalism as a possible hate crime,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN.
The term “666” is noted in the New Testament of the Christian Bible in the Book of Revelation (13:17–18) in reference to the anti-Christ or the devil in the End Times. The passages refer to “the beast” and has not reference to Islam. The term “666” is more widely known in popular culture and movies to depict the devil or satan, and has been used by some Christian leaders to depict both Judaism and Islam in the past and present.
More popular perspectives of Islam include it as one of three faiths that make up Abrahamic tradition together with Judaism and Islam.
