Man Pleads Guilty In Ohio Mosque Arson Attack

In Toledo, Ohio yesterday, 52-year old Randolph Linn plead guilty in federal district court to one count each of intentionally defacing, damaging, and destroying religious property; using a fire to commit a felony; and using and carrying a firearm to commit a crime of violence in an attack on the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo. According to the Toledo Blade:

Linn admitted he set fire to the rug in the prayer room at the mosque on Sept. 30 after walking through the building with a gun to check for people in each room. He said he was motivated to drive the nearly two hours from his Indiana home to the Perrysburg mosque “to get some payback” for Americans who had been killed.

Under a binding plea agreement Linn will be sentenced to 20 years in prison and be required to pay restitution to the mosque.  The Islamic Center suffered extensive water and smoke damage as a result of the attack.