Minnesota mosque bombing 'is an act of terrorism', governor says

"This is an act of terrorism ... This is against the law in America."

Following a Saturday bomb attack on a Minnesota mosque, the state's governor has called the incident an "act of terrorism," condemning the violence.

In a meeting with public officials and community leaders at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Governor Mark Dayton described the attack as "so wretched" and "not Minnesota," according to The Guardian.

"This is an act of terrorism," the governor said. "This is against the law in America."

The blast took place during morning prayers on Saturday, around 5 a.m. Nobody was injured in the attack, but it has left the congregation fearful and shaken.

"We feel like it’s much deeper and scarier than like something random," Mohamed Omar, the center’s executive director, said on Sunday. "It’s so scary."

Currently, the FBI is investigating the attack, according to The Independent. Officials have said they are looking into the possibility that the incident is a hate crime. A special agent working on the case said it appeared the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device, pieces of which have been recovered from the scene.

"If a bias motive is proven, this attack would represent another in a long list of hate incidents targeting Islamic institutions nationwide in recent months," Amir Malik, the civil rights director of the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said regarding the investigation.

Hate crimes targeting American Muslims and mosques have been on the rise in the last couple of years. Activists have also noted a spike since the campaign and election of U.S. President Donald Trump, who ran his campaign heavily based on blatantly xenophobic rhetoric. 

Many have pointed to the double-standards of politicians and the American media when it comes to responding to these increasing incidents. 

President Trump has remained mostly silent regarding attacks against Muslims and mosques while continuing to push forward his ban on travelers from several Muslim majority countries.

Others have pointed out that the media regularly fails to call attacks on Muslims or mosques acts of "terrorism," while the term is quickly used when the perpetrator comes from a Muslim background.

Asad Zaman, director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, said there is a $24,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the individual or individuals behind the terrorist attack.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has encouraged mosques throughout the country to enhance their security measures.

Israel vows to shut down and block Al Jazeera

"Al Jazeera denounces this decision made by a state that claims to be 'the only democratic state in the Middle East.'"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's threats appear to be coming true.

On Sunday, Communications Minister Ayoub Kara said that Al Jazeera's bureau will be shuttered, its journalists ordered to leave and it will be blocked from broadcasting via local and satellite providers within territories controlled by Israelis.

Kara said the move was meant to bolster security and to ensure that news channels operations in the country will "report objectively," according to Reuters. While Kara's promise echoes that of the Israeli Prime Minister, a legal process needs to be followed before the station can officially be shut down.

The Qatari-owned broadcaster slammed the minister's statement, promising to fight a legal battle to remain open.

"Al Jazeera denounces this decision made by a state that claims to be 'the only democratic state in the Middle East,'" the network said in an official statement

"Al Jazeera stresses that it will watch closely the developments that may result from the Israeli decision, and will take the necessary legal measures towards it," it said.

The statement went on to say that Al Jazeera promises to continue covering issues in the "occupied Palestinian territories in a professional and objective manner in accordance with the common journalistic standards set by the relevant international organizations."

Last month, Netanyahu attacked Al Jazeera claiming it incites violence and criticized its support of the Palestinian protesters at Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.

"The Al Jazeera network continues to incite violence around the Temple Mount [Al-Aqsa compound]," Netanyahu wrote in a Facebook post.

"I have appealed to law enforcement agencies several times to close the Al-Jazeera office in Jerusalem," he said. "If this does not happen because of legal reasons, I will work to legislate the laws required to remove Al Jazeera from Israel."

The Qatari network is also currently blocked in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain, as the four countries blockade the small wealthy emirate. 

Al Jazeera was barred in May after controversial statements accredited to the Emir of Qatar were shared by Qatar News Agency. Since then, the spat has escalated with the four Arab nations cutting economic and diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing the country of supporting terrorist groups and encouraging tensions in the region.

In a list of 13 demands presented to Qatar in an effort to end the crisis, the four countries said Al Jazeera and other Qatari-funded media organizations must be closed.