Swedish police suspect hate crime in Thursday night's mosque fire

​​​​​​​ISTANBUL

Swedish police announced on Friday that they suspect a hate crime behind a fire at a newly built mosque that occurred Thursday night in the northern city of Lulea.

"The building is not completely burned down, but it has fire damage. We suspect it was deliberately set and are investigating it as arson, but there is no suspect at this time," police officer Casey Causevic told broadcaster SVT.

There are no reports of injuries in connection with the fire, and the area is cordoned off while police conduct a technical investigation.

"We woke up today to a tragic event and a shameful attack that shows hate and evil directed at our mosque in Lulea. We are grateful that no one was hurt, but the damage to the building is evident," the Norrbottens Islamiska Center (NIC) wrote on the US social media company, Facebook.