Muslim civil rights group says hate crimes targeting houses of worship must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law
(PHILADELPHIA, PA., 8/7/ 2026) – The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia) today welcomed the federal indictment charging Vincent Lang with a civil rights offense in connection with the July 5 arson attack on the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center, calling the additional charge an important recognition of the alleged anti-Muslim motive behind the attack.
On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced that it is indicting Lang on charges of malicious damage by means of fire to a building used in interstate commerce and damage to religious real property. According to the indictment, the defendant allegedly targeted the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center because of its religious character as a mosque.
CAIR-Philadelphia previously welcomed the defendant’s arrest and thanked the community member whose tip helped law enforcement identify the suspect. The organization has remained in close contact with mosque leadership throughout the investigation and has continued to advocate for a thorough investigation into the apparent bias motivation behind the attack.
“This indictment sends an important message that attacks targeting houses of worship because of their faith are not ordinary crimes, they are assaults on the fundamental civil rights and religious freedom of entire communities,” said Dr. Ahmet Tekelioglu, Executive Director of CAIR-Philadelphia. “We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement for recognizing the seriousness of these allegations through the addition of a civil rights charge. Every person, regardless of faith, deserves to worship without fear of intimidation or violence.”
He added that Washington, D.C., based CAIR recently said it has documented 17 incidents targeting Islamic places of worship in May, June, and July to date. The 17 incidents represent 51 percent of the previous year’s total and a 183 percent increase over the same three-month period last year, during which CAIR documented six such incidents.
CAIR-Philadelphia noted that while the swift investigation and prosecution are encouraging, the incident also serves as a reminder that anti-Muslim hate continues to threaten Muslim communities and religious institutions across the country.
“An attack on one house of worship is an attack on the religious freedom of us all,” Tekelioglu said. “We must continue working together—across faiths and communities—to reject hatred, protect vulnerable communities, and uphold the constitutional right of every American to practice their faith in peace.”
CAIR-Philadelphia also thanked the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center for its resilience and the outpouring of solidarity shown by faith leaders, elected officials, neighbors, and community organizations in the weeks following the attack.
CAIR offers a “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet, which offers advice on how to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths.
Washington, D.C. based CAIR’s latest civil rights report documented 8,683 anti-Muslim bias complaints in 2025 – the highest number ever recorded by the organization since it began publishing civil rights reports in 1996.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu, PhD., atekelioglu@cair.com, (617)-401-5397; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com
