Mosque mood ‘on edge’ despite man in custody
Victoria suspect in fire described as an extremist
VICTORIA — A day after a suspect believed to be connected to the fire that destroyed the Victoria Islamic Center appeared in federal court, activity around the mosque continued at a brisk but modified pace.
Instead of piling into the main building for Friday prayer, the congregants walked past an empty field where the mosque once stood and filled two temporary buildings. A hired armed guard confirmed with each attendee their purpose for being there.
“We’ve been very much on edge, looking over our shoulders,” said Dr. Irfan Qureshi, a mosque board member, in between appointments Friday morning at his clinic. Since the January blaze, he has noticed a few families have stopped attending events and prayers at the mosque because of safety concerns.
In the wake of January’s fire, the mosque became a rallying point for this city about 130 miles southwest of Houston. Jewish and Protestant groups volunteered to help at the mosque, which reportedly raised more than $1 million in donations for rebuilding.
On Friday, a review of court documents and an interview with a former high school friend revealed new details about the 25-year-old suspect, Marq Vincent Perez, described as an extremist who was having trouble adjusting to his post-military life.
On March 3, authorities arrested Perez less than a mile away from the mosque grounds. While he’s been charged with possession of fire-starting devices, he has not yet been charged in the mosque blaze.
Perez burglarized the mosque on Jan. 22 and then again on Jan. 28, when he started the fire, prosecutors say, with the intent of destroying the mosque. According to testimony presented in court Thursday, Perez did not hide his disdain for Muslims and took several steps to carry out his planned actions. But his attorney described
Perez as a “substantial citizen.”
“We have some degree of comfort knowing the main suspect is in custody,” said Qureshi. “But the flip side is this is a 25-year-old. He has a family. If he’s convicted, that’s a young life that’s affected.”
Qureshi added that Muslims have not been the only religious group targeted in recent months, referencing the Jewish community centers and cemeteries vandalized in recent weeks. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Texas has had 105 hate crimes since the November election. Nationwide, 127 incidents have been tracked as “anti-Muslim.”
At a detention hearing Thursday, investigators described Perez as a volatile man who harassed his best friend of 10 years, Victoria resident Stephen Ruiz. They also read clips from Facebook messages sent by Perez that hinted at a hostile attitude toward Muslims. Ruiz described Perez as a right-wing extremist, noting that Perez did not like foreigners.
Investigators said Ruiz’s vehicle was vandalized with a shotgun and an explosive device made up of fireworks tied together. An undetonated explosive — similar to the one found at the mosque fire — was found March 3 where Ruiz’s car was vandalized. Ruiz declined Friday afternoon to speak about the ongoing investigation but shared details of his relationship with Perez. They met during freshman year of high school at a weekly teenage hangout at a local church, where he described Perez as “quiet and reserved.” Perez liked video games, and always seemed fascinated by the military, he said.
After high school, Perez apparently joined the U.S. Air Force for just a few weeks, according to testimony, and came back “unable to adjust,” Ruiz said. Ever since then, his friend changed, becoming “more violent, more aggressive,” he said.
No one answered the door Friday at the home where Perez was arrested, believed to be where Perez lived with Victoria resident Matilda Cano. The couple welcomed a son in January.
Next-door neighbor Thomas Alvarado said Perez had not lived there for more than six months. When he had resided there, Alvarado only saw him “go to work, come back and park his car.” Occasionally he saw Perez standing outside with a couple of other men, but when they saw Alvarado they went inside.
On the morning of March 3, Alvarado saw red lights through his front window and Perez getting pulled out of the home and put into a car. He saw officials carry out three paper grocery bags’ worth of what he assumed was evidence. Court records show evidence seized included a laptop, fireworks and a missing electric meter.
Perez’s lawyer, Mark Di Carlo, said the testimony related to the mosque fire wasn’t relevant to his client’s charge, and described much of the evidence presented as “hearsay upon hearsay.”
Di Carlo said the evidence is based on two confidential informants, one of whom may be involved in the mosque burglary as well. Neither testified or were subject to cross-examination, he said.
Di Carlo said his next steps would be to defend the charge Perez is accused of — possession of an incendiary device — and try to get him released from custody.
If Perez is charged in relation to the mosque fire, Di Carlo said they will “meet that issue when we come to it.” He has not been informed of his client’s next court date.
Back at the Friday prayer, Imam Osama Hassan delivered his sermon.
“Allah commands you to forgive who oppressed you or hurt you,” he said to the group of almost 40. He wove in passages and verses of the Quran, giving examples of the Prophet Yusuf to repeatedly stress one common theme, forgiveness.
“When you forgive somebody, you free your past,” he said.
After prayer, another board member got on the mic and told attendees when security cameras would be installed and reminded them about a Friday night potluck. With the lack of kitchen in the temporary buildings, they opted for pizza with homemade rice, hummus and lentils.