Cops seek man for threats against U.D. mosque

UPPER DARBY » An man is being sought by Upper Darby police for hateful messages and terroristic threats on signs he left outside the Masjid Al-Madinah mosque.

Maintenance workers came across a confusing sign left behind the Delaware County Islmaic Center and called Kamal Rahman, the president of Masjid AL-Madinah, who immediately contacted police regarding the hatred and threatening notes left for the “wild dogs” and “devils” whom the threat warns to “get ready.”

“‘You kill many people in Europe, you try America, too. Now is our (turn). We will (destroy) you ... Extremly extremly extremly (sic), you will (die),’” read Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood, who stopping to decipher out the misspelled “tern,” “destroee,” and “dey.”

Video offered by the mosque staff shows a man carrying a large bundle of signs wrapped in a black plastic trash bags walking east on Walnut Street and circling around the back of the mosque at 201 S. 69th St. at 5:10 a.m. Monday. Peeling away the plastic covering, he leaves different signs around the rear entrance to the building.

The signs were concealed in the conference room at Upper Darby Township Police headquarters Thursday, with Chitwood peeling away strips of brown paper to reveal the signs and read aloud the jumbled and rambling message as members of the mosque stood to the side.

He warned that police were was searching for someone they believe has “significant mental health issues.”

“I can’t emphasize it enough, it’s a full-court press from the police department. Obviously this guy ain’t dealing with a straight deck,” Chitwood said.

The largest sign reading jumbled message – “Wild dogs and boys of devils, get ready today” – was left at the rear entrance. Flying an American flag as he carried the signs on foot heading west on Walnut Street to the mosque before dawn Monday, the suspect circled around the front and down a rear set of stairs. He disappears off camera a moment where he leaves the sign, and is presumed to have left or burnt a rag and plastic items. When discovered outside the rear entrance to the mosque around 11:30 a.m. Monday, the flag had been turned upside down.

An inverted flag is the officially recognized symbol for distress.

Chitwood said the individual is in a state of mental distress, and police are seeking to charge the suspect with a hate crime and terroristic threats.

In addition to the signs, which Chitwood said were left at two locations — the scene at 201 S. 69th St. and second sign outside what he said was the educational center at Heather and Ludlow streets. Burned items, including half melted plastic Pikachu were left outside. Chitwood said he believes it’s part of the same crime scene.

“I don’t care if he’s got some mental issues or not, we got to lock him up. We got to take him off the street and we need to make sure that everybody is safe,” Chitwood said.

Calls to nearby shelters the Life Center at 63rd and Market Streets and Connect at 7200 Chestnut St. did not produce any leads, so police are turning to the public to identify the individual. In the video, he is of heavier build, gray facial hair, in his 50s or 60s, wearing a red and black plaid trapper hat, a NASA jacket and blue jeans.

“Our goal is to identify this individual and then lock him up,” Chitwood said.

Masjid Al-Madinah, known as the Upper Darby Islamic Center, is the only mosque in Delaware County. There are an estimated 5,000 Muslims living in the county with 3,000 of those living in Upper Darby.

At the weekly Friday prayer, similar to Sunday Mass, more than 2,000 people come to pray.

Rahman said it was a deliberate “terroristic threat, a hate crime,” toward a diverse community at a mosque that is “significant” and “very important” to thousands in the county.

“This community we have been living for over 40 years. We don’t have an issue with anybody, and this sort of behavior needs to be controlled and managed,” Rahman said.

Signs at each entrance to the mosque even warn of the 24-hour security cameras fixed around the building. He said he would be installing more, updating the door system and adding a physical security person.

Saud Siddiqui, chairman of the Upper Darby Caring Foundation and member of Masjid AlMadinah, said the Muslim community in Upper Darby represents “50 or 60” different languages.

“People come from all over — West Africans, Pakistanis, Indians and Muslims from everywhere,

they come here. Very diverse, not only by color, but by location, by country, you name it,” Siddiqui said.

Siddiqui, a former Republican candidate for the Upper Darby township council in the 6th District, said the incident was “not only surprising, it is shocking ... shocking and disturbing.”

“We are very, very mixed, with well-acknowledged people here. The people are very peaceful, harmonized,” Siddiqui said.

The members from Masjid Al-Madinah expressed their gratitude for the sense of urgency the police department was taking.

“To the Muslim community here, I ask all the people to keep calm, the police department is taking this seriously, the township is being very supportive.” Siddiqui said.

Chitwood said that the “strong hatred, violent message” must be punished. “With the potential for this guy to cause any sort of harm to anybody, we have to stop it,” Chitwood said.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Upper Darby detectives at 610-734-7693.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Police are seeking this man in connection with threatening signs posted near a township mosque.