Official: Ore. firebomb suspect racially motivated

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CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) – Federal officials say a 24-year-old man accused of firebombing an Oregon mosque last year was motivated by race.

Cody Crawford was arrested on a federal hate crimes indictment Wednesday night. He’s accused of setting fire to the Corvallis mosque just two days after FBI agents arrested a Somali-American on a charge of plotting to set off a bomb at Portland’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

No one was hurt, and the fire was contained to one room.

U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton said at a Thursday news conference that Crawford’s motives were racial and religious in nature.

Crawford remains in custody. He has told The Associated Press that he is “100 percent innocent.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.