(MosNews) - Unidentified assailants threw gasoline bombs at mosque in a central Russian city early Sunday, The Associated Press reported citing the country's main Muslim organization, reports Trend.
The incident occurred in the city of Yaroslavl about 240 kilometers (150 miles) northeast of Moscow a day after the country's Muslims began observing the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the Council of Muftis said in a statement posted on its Web site.
The statement said the attackers smashed the mosque's windows and then threw Molotov cocktails at the building. Several cars parked nearby were also damaged, it said.
The Interfax news agency cited the chairman of the city's Islamic organization as saying that a prayer service was underway when the mosque was attacked, but no one was injured.
A duty officer with Yaroslval regional police said he was unaware of the incident. The officer declined to give his name, citing his department's policy.
The council's leader Ravil Gainutdin called the incident a deplorable and cruel assault by destructive forces.
I believe the hooligans will face due punishment, the RIA-Novosti news agency quoted him as saying.
Russia has seen a marked rise in hate crimes in recent years, which rights groups say is fueled in part by the authorities' reluctance to crack down on hate crimes and tackle growing nationalism.
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