| | | Germany: Muslim migrant sets fire to his own shop, claims it was a ‘hate crime,’ collects over $35,000
SEP 10, 2020 5:00 PM BY ROBERT SPENCER
“Islamophobic hate crimes” are in reality so thin on the ground that those who profit from claiming that Muslims are the targets of widespread discrimination and harassment in the West have to invent them. And they’re so much a part of the Western media narrative that Mohammad Moussa A. could be absolutely certain that his story would be believed uncritically; it was only his own carelessness that found him out.
However, the people in Wetter haven’t learned a thing: “The association ‘Wir in Wetter’ wants to continue its work for more cosmopolitanism. Especially now, they say. So that the case of the fraudster and arsonist does not harm others who really need help.”
“Wetter: Three years imprisonment for arson in his own shop,” translated from “Wetter: Drei Jahre Haft für Brandstiftung im eigenen Laden,” by Jürgen Kleinschnitger, WDR, September 2, 2020 (thanks to Medforth):
A grocer is to be jailed for three years. The district court of Hagen regards it as proven that the 35-year-old set fire to his shop in Wetter in 2018 to collect insurance money and donations.
The apparent fate of Mohammad Moussa A. shook people in Wetter in 2018. An arson attack upon a Syrian greengrocer. Before that, he had received threatening letters, the grocer said at the time.
(Not) a xenophobic attack
It was he who publicly claimed that it was a xenophobic attack. People believed him, and so there has been a great wave of helpfulness in Wetter since April 2018. Many schools and clubs donated to the grocer’s family. Volunteers helped rebuild the shop.
Civil society sent a clear message against xenophobia with numerous events, and politicians were also there: the mayor and the entire city council came from all parties to express their solidarity with the man.
Dubious greengrocer
The problem: the Syrian, who fled to Germany in 2015, started the fire himself. The Hagen District Court is convinced of this, and has sentenced him to three years in prison for faking a criminal offense, fraud, simple and dangerous bodily harm, according to the verdict.
The investigators found him out because he said he was in Gelsenkirchen at the time of the crime. In fact, however, he was on the scene before the fire department arrived, and carried propane bottles from his burning shop.
Also noticeable: a fuse was turned off and the light and video surveillance were switched off. The man finally got entangled in more and more contradictions. To make matters worse, he has claimed social benefits worth tens of thousands of euros, and threatened and also hit other people.
Wetter is shocked
Many in Wetter have been shocked since the verdict. For example, local resident Rilana Avranidis. She lives on the first floor directly above the former greengrocer. In 2018, she was surprised by the fire at night. She and her two children suffered from smoke inhalation and had to be hospitalized. She later helped the dealer rebuild.
Today it is clear to the mother of two that the man was obviously indifferent to the life of her family when he set fire to his shop. The district court of Hagen speaks of a “selfish motive”.
The case is also a bitter disappointment for the citizens’ association “Wir in Wetter”. The association had implemented many actions after the fake attack for the Syrians and for more openness to foreigners.
And they fell for a fraudster who misused his origins to pose as the victim of a xenophobic attack. Not only did he collect the sum insured of more than 30,000 euros; he also collected donations of several thousand euros.
The association “Wir in Wetter” wants to continue its work for more cosmopolitanism. Especially now, they say. So that the case of the fraudster and arsonist does not harm others who really need help.
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