Hate crime charges filed in local mosque fire

Randy Linn, 52, of St. Joe, Ind., is to be charged with a hate crime in the alleged arson Sept. 30 at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo.

BOWLING GREEN - Federal officials held a news conference today to announce that hate crime charges have been filed in the religiously-motivated attack on the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo.

During the news conference at the Wood County Prosecutor's Office, the officials said the hate crime charges are being filed against Randy Linn, 52, a trucker from St. Joe, Ind., who is being held in the Wood County jail in lieu of $400,000 on two counts of arson, and one count each of aggravated burglary and carrying a concealed weapon.

The local charges will be dropped and Mr. Linn will be transferred to a federal facility.

He is accused of intentionally setting the mosque on fire Sunday. Federal and Ohio authorities named him as “the person of interest” captured by a surveillance camera outside the Islamic Center in Perrysburg Township during the fire.