ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police and the FBI tell Channel 2 Action News they are investigating a threatening email sent to a mosque.%
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The president of the Islamic Center of North Fulton, Dr. Moiz Mumtaz, told Channel 2’s Mike Petchenik the email came in late August to a general mailbox.
“This was something we did not expect,” Mumtaz said. “It was a thing of concern for us.”
Petchenik obtained a copy of a police report that spelled out the e-mail:
"We, the Satanists of Atlanta we will destroy your mosque and take your kids and kill them on the day of sacrifice October. Satanic Temple Atlanta chapter and the left hand path."
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Mumtaz told Petchenik the members of his center are concerned, but hopeful.
"Things happen, and we have to be prepared for it," he said. "We can't live in fear, but we have to do what is right and let people know what we believe in and what we do."
In 2013, someone targeted the center by vandalizing a sign out front. %
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Mumtaz said he wishes people would be open to learning more about his religion, rather than hiding behind threatening emails.
“People will realize what hurts you, hurts me,” he said. “What makes you happy, makes me happy.”
A co-founder of the Satanic Temple of Atlanta, Lucien Grieves, emailed Petchenik saying the organization unequivocally denies any involvement in the email:
“Obviously, nobody from The Satanic Temple sent a threat to a mosque, as to do so would be antithetical to our mission of advancing religious liberty and preserving First Amendment rights. The email did not come from The Satanic Temple domain, and it's very clearly a poor attempt at defaming us while harassing the mosque. Disturbingly, we've only been approached about this incident by media, and not the law enforcement that the mosque reported this incident to. We would like to strongly encourage the recipients of the email to forward it immediately to the FBI. As far as we can tell, the local police are not taking the incident at all seriously, and we would like to see the perpetrator prosecuted to the fullest possible extent."
Alpharetta police told Petchenik they are taking the threat seriously and are working with federal authorities to determine its source.
Cox Media Group
