Sheriff's Office seeking information about Monroe mosque vandalism

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Seattle's director of public affairs Alam Ali says the local chapter isn’t seeking punishment for the person who spray painted its Monroe mosque.

“Right now, we’re still processing,” he said. “The main message we’re having is we’re not looking to prosecute. We’re looking to communicate.”

Someone wrote “F*** U” on the mosque at 23515 Old Owen Road. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Seattle opens a food bank every Friday.

“Those folks came in around 10 a.m. and that’s who discovered the graffiti,” Ali said.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has more than 70 chapters around the United States, and the Seattle chapter opened its Monroe mosque about two years ago. Ali said the Muslim community received a warm welcome from the mayor and city council, and has held many community events where people have come and learned about Islam.

“We do notice that there are some folks that are a little bit more apprehensive,” he said, adding some people are just not familiar with Islam. “People are afraid of what they don’t know and they’re afraid to ask.”

The vandalism occurred on the heels of a Muslims for Life blood drive the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community holds every year around 9/11 to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed in the 2001 terror attack.

“That’s what our faith tells us to do is save lives,” Ali said.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office reports the vandalism is believed to have occurred between 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, and 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 15. Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous tip line at 425-388-3845.

"We will not tolerate any crimes motivated by prejudice in Snohomish County," said Sheriff Ty Trenary in a Friday news release. "We are asking for the public's help to find who committed this hateful act and so we can bring them to justice."

Ali said it’s possible the vandalism was committed by youths or someone else randomly targeting the building.

“We can’t judge the intent of someone else,” he said, “but we know how this makes us feel.”

Ali said this was the first instance of vandalism since the mosque opened.

A "Coffee, Cake & True Islam" discussion will be held 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Monroe mosque. Find out more here.