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Mosque fires suspect appears in court
A suspected arsonist has been charged with setting two separate mosque fires in Minneapolis. FOX 9’s Paul Blume has the latest after a first court appearance today.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The man arrested for setting two fires at Minneapolis mosques in 2023 has pleaded guilty in federal court.
Jackie Rahm Little pleads guilty
What we know:
Jackie Rahm Little entered the guilty plea to counts of arson and damage to religious property in court on Wednesday.
He will be sentenced at a later date for the crimes.
Jackie Little is accused of setting two fires at Minneapolis mosques. (FOX 9)
Fires set at Minneapolis mosques
The backstory:
Little was arrested in April 2023 after two fires in two days at mosques in Minneapolis. Prosecutors say Little used a gas can to set a fire at the Masjid Omar Islamic Center on East 24th Street.
The following day, Little carried a gas can into the Mosjid Al-Rahma Mosque on Bloomington Avenue and set a fire on the third floor.
The criminal complaint against Little also detailed racist emails sent to Rep. Ilhan Omar's office and graffiti vandalism at Rep. Omar's office and a Somali mall months earlier.
Dig deeper:
After his arrest in 2023, FOX 9 also learned that Little had a long history of mental health issues, including two previous car arsons in 2021 that led to him being committed twice.
The Source: This story uses information shared in a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice and previous FOX 9 reporting.