MERIDEN — Police and FBI agents are trying to figure out who fired off multiple shots at a Connecticut mosque hours after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Police and members of the Baitul Aman mosque on Main Street in Meriden believe the shooting happened early Saturday morning. Multiple bullet holes were seen on the outside of the building and inside in prayer rooms. The mosque was empty when the shots were fired, and no one was injured.
"It's got a different feel to it," said Hamid Malik, a regional imam. "It's as if terrorism is hitting close to home."
Tuesday, prayers took place while a crime scene was still setup on the inside of the building.
"We know there's a lot of tension and as a result we want to have that dialogue," said Salaam Bhatti, spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. "We want to have that question and answer session. There's a lot of questions out there we can't let people with guns create this terrorism to frighten us."
Police say shots were fired into the mosque, penetrating three interior walls and areas where members gather for prayer.
Qureshi says members of the mosque are peace loving and denounce all acts of terrorism.
"It's obvious that people are misled as to what true Islam is," said Malik. "ISIS or terrorists don't represent Islam. We represent Islam. These are just a band of lunatics that have their own geopolitical agenda."
A prayer meeting is planned for Friday.