Man Arrested After Threatening Oakland County Mosque: Police

MADISON HEIGHTS, MI — A man has been arrested after threatening an Oakland County mosque, according to police.

The threats were made against the American Islamic Community Center in Madison Heights on Monday, according to police.

"The Madison Heights Police Department takes hate crimes very seriously and remains committed to supporting and protecting all religious and ethnic groups within our city," the department wrote in a statement. "As such, membership of the Islamic Community Center has been updated on this development."

Police have submitted charges to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Meanwhile, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling on state officials to investigate the threats as a hate crime.

The group said the profanity-laced voice messages included threats, such as "I am going to make you blood… I am going to kill you. I am going to kill your people" and "We’re going to come and we’re going to come strong. We’re going to get rid of you one way or another."

CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid noted the center has a history of receiving threats and harassment relating to construction of a new mosque in neighboring Sterling Heights.

"We call on the local, state and federal law enforcement to use their full resources to investigate yesterday’s threats as a hate crime against the Madison Heights mosque," Walid said. "Given the recent terror attack on a mosque in San Diego, which led to three fatalities, such threats must be dealt with the utmost seriousness by law enforcement."