Firebomb Hits Local Arab-American News Building
Employees Believe Attack May Be Hate Crime
POSTED: Tuesday, December 9, 2003
UPDATED: 9:06 pm EST December 9,
2003
Police believe someone tried to burn down the building that houses
The Arab American News in Dearborn late Monday or early Tuesday, Local 4 reported.
Investigators say the building on Chase Road was hit with what appeared to be a homemade firebomb. A glass bottle was found shattered near the back entrance where the sidewalk was charred from the fire, according to the station's reports.
Police believe the person or persons responsible were attempting to throw the firebomb through a door to set the building afire, but the door was reportedly equipped with unbreakable bulletproof glass.
Employees of the paper, including its publisher and editor-in-chief, Osama Siblani, believe it was an act of intimidation.
"This is a newspaper and we take a position and some people may not like our position," said Siblani.
Police have yet to find any suspects in the attack.
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