No anti-mosque sentiments noticed in Culemborg: Muslim group

Organization Muslim Youth Culemborg is as confused as everyone else about a possible motive for the burning down of an old swimming pool building in the city on Wednesday night. The building was set to be turned into a mosque and a home base for young people in the Muslim community next year. "We never noticed in Culemborg people who are against the mosque", chairman Kamal Benmoghyt said to NOS. "We were never threatened and have never previously had to deal with vandalism."

The fire started in the empty pool building around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. The building was largely destroyed. The police are still investigating whether arson was involved.

The building was sold to the Association Islamic Community Culemborg this past summer. "We wanted to turn it into an Islamic center aimed at studies for young and old. It also had to be a nice meeting place, with a library and all kinds of activities, not just a place of worship." Benmoghyt said to the broadcaster. 

Several hours after the mosque site went up in flames, six cars in the Terweijde neighborhood also caught fire. According to the police, there are currently no indications that the car fires and pool fire are related, but officers are still investigating, a spokesperson said to newspaper AD. 

The youth organization already had 15 young volunteers organized to patrol the Culemborg streets during New Year's to prevent vandalism. That group started its patrols a bit earlier after the fires. Seven volunteers patrolled the streets until 4:00 a.m. this morning and they will do so again tonight. On the Muslim Youth Culemborg Facebook page the group calls on everyone to "remain calm and don't do anything stupid."