DALLAS _ A reward is being offered for information about who may have started the fire that destroyed a Texas mosque last month.
The Victoria Islamic Center Mosque went up in flames on Jan. 28 causing about $500,000 worth of damage. No injuries were reported. Victoria is about 125 miles southwest of Houston.
Investigators ruled that the fire was intentionally set. No evidence exists to indicate the crime was one of bias, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials said.
The Houston division of the ATF announced a reward of up to $30,000 on Wednesday for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person responsible.
The mosque said in a statement that it was "saddened and alarmed" that the fire was intentional.
"Despite several indications of arson, we offered prayers of hope that the cause of fire would be accident rather than intentional act," the mosque said.
The mosque asked that whoever set the fire surrender to law enforcement.
"Our Islamic faith permits victims to seek justice through the legal system but at the same time it encourages its followers to show forgiveness," the statement said. "Therefore, we declare that spiritually we will strive hard to shield our hearts from negativity or animosity and to channel our energy instead on the hope, desire and determination to rebuild."
A GoFundMe campaign set up for the mosque has raised more than $1.1 million toward rebuilding costs.
