Texas mosque fire called arson

AUSTIN, Texas: A January fire that gutted a Texas mosque has been ruled arson, with a reward of up to $30,000 offered for tips leading to arrests, the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said on Wednesday.

The fire at the Victoria Islamic Centre, about 125 miles southwest of Houston, was started just hours after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily barring travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Authorities have found no evidence linking the fire with the order.

US Islamic rights groups have said they saw the fire as part of a growing wave of bigotry toward Muslims in the country.

"Houses of worship are a sacred place in this country, and ATF is committed to devoting the necessary resources to solving this crime," Fred Milanowski, the special agent in charge of the ATF Houston Field Division, said in a statement. The fire destroyed the building and caused about $500,000 in damages, the ATF said.