Burned Koran no hate crime

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — A Muslim student at Virginia Tech told police he left a charred Koran at a local mosque last month because he thought members would know how to dispose of it properly after it was damaged in a house fire.

Police initially said it was being investigated as an anti-Muslim crime, and the incident received national attention.

The focus shifted last week after the student, who read about the burned Koran in Virginia Tech’s student newspaper, told police he was the one who left the book at the Islamic Center of Blacksburg last month, Blacksburg Police Chief William H. Brown told the Roanoke Times. The student also told police that he left other fire-damaged items at the Islamic center, which also were found, authorities said.

Blacksburg police contacted the student by e-mail in Egypt last week.

The student, who was not identified, told them he was traveling abroad and didn’t know what to do with the Koran, which was burned in a 2004 house fire, so he placed it in a plastic bag and left it at the mosque in hopes that members would dispose of it properly.

An attached note apparently blew away, Chief Brown said.

Sedki Riad, director of the Islamic center, said local Muslims are relieved that anti-Islamic sentiments weren’t involved.

“There is nothing better than knowing that Blacksburg is what we expect it to be — a caring, friendly and supporting neighborhood,” Mr. Riad told the Roanoke Times. “It is a big relief.”

Police considered religious bias but suspected other motives from the beginning, Chief Brown said.

Because it was an Arabic Koran — English versions are easier to find in the area — officers thought it was owned by a Muslim, Chief Brown said.

The text was found double-bagged, which made police think someone was trying to be careful with the contents, Chief Brown said.

Muslims may dispose of a damaged Koran by respectfully burning it or shredding it entirely, Mr. Riad said.

An initial police report indicated that more than one burned Koran was involved, but Blacksburg Police Lt. Bruce Bradberry said yesterday that only one Koran was found among other burned items, including torn pages and book covers from other Arabic writings.