US Justice Department: Arson charge filed against man who attacked mosque in Philadelphia

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that a man has been charged with arson in connection with a fire that broke out last week at a mosque in Philadelphia.

In a statement, the department said that Vincent Lang, 60, of Philadelphia, was arrested and charged with “willfully damaging or destroying a building or property used in interstate commerce by fire or explosion, or attempting to do so,” in connection with the deliberate fire that erupted last week at a mosque in the city.

According to the criminal complaint, on July 5, Lang approached the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center, ignited a burning device, and threw it into the mosque’s entrance, causing a fire inside the building.

The Justice Department noted that if convicted, Lang faces a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.

A channel affiliated with NBC News reported that no one was injured in the incident, which the Justice Department said occurred in the “early hours” of July 5.