Imam killed in Belgium mosque arson
Belgians demonstrate against the construction of a mosque in Lier on June 5, 2011.
Arson at the largest of four Shiite mosques near Brussels killed its imam late Monday.
An axe-wielding man burst into the Rida mosque in Anderlecht, a suburb of Brussels, set the fire and was eventually arrested, news agencies said.
The mosque’s imam died of smoke inhalation, CNN said.
One worshipper described him to Agency France-Presse as "a person who was loved by everybody — he was open, well integrated, smiling and happy."
Police have made one arrest man but have not yet released a name, the Associated Press said. The man arrested by police told officers he was a Muslim born in 1978, the news agency said.
Police declined to discuss motive with the media.
An imam hasn’t been attacked and killed in Brussels since 1989, AFP said.
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