T. Rob Brown / AP
A Carl Junction, Mo., firefighter works to extinguish the smoldering remains of the Islamic Society of Joplin mosque Mondayin Joplin, Mo.
By Kari Huus, NBC News
A mosque in Joplin, Mo., that was targeted by an arsonist on July 4 burned to the ground on Monday.
The fire at the Islamic Society of Joplin was reported around 3:30 a.m. by a person driving past the building, said Bridget Patton, spokesperson for the FBI in Kansas City, Mo.
The building, which was completely destroyed by the fire, was vacant at the time. There were no injuries, Patton said.
The FBI recently offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of a suspected arsonist who was captured on surveillance video throwing a lit object onto the roof of the Islamic Society of Joplin. That suspect in that fire, which did not penetrate the building's interior, is still at large.
Patton said the FBI has committed "significant resources," working alongside local authorities and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to determine the cause of Monday?s fire.
"If it?s determined to be deliberately set, then we will look to see if there's a connection between this fire and the one set on July 4," Patton said.
ATF investigates all fires that occur in places of worship, a practice put in place after a rash of arson attacks targeting churches in the 1990s, according to spokeswoman Trista Frederick.
The Islamic Society's religious leader, Imam Lahmuddin, told the Joplin Globe that worshippers were in the mosque until about 11:20 on Sunday night, and were planning to be back for 5 a.m. prayer on Monday. Muslims are observing the month of Ramadan, which involves fasting from dawn until sunset each day. During Ramadan, many Muslims gather to break the fast in the evenings and pray at the mosque more frequently.
"We just take this as a test from God. God is testing us. This is the month of Ramadan. We are fasting. We are not supposed to get angry, we are not supposed to say anything bad," he said. "But that?s not only for this month, but for every day of our lives. In Ramadan we are more careful in guarding our tongues, not to say anything inappropriate."?
The nonprofit Muslim rights group, the Council on American Islamic Relations, announced Monday that it was offering a $10,000 reward "for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever may have caused?Monday fire."
CAIR called for stepped-up police protection at Muslim institutions and other houses of worship nationwide because of the Joplin mosque fires and Sunday's deadly shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.
CAIR noted that Sikh men who wear beards and turbans as part of their faith are often targeted by bigots who mistake them for Muslims.
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