A firefighter surveys the damage after the New Year’s arson attempt inside Neighbours (Image: Neighbours)
Last week, CHS reported on arson charges filed against former Capitol Hill resident Musab Musmari for the New Year’s fire attack on Neighbours. 12th Ave-headquartered Seattle Gay News featured its take on the arrest and charges in its latest edition. As a longtime news voice for Seattle’s gay community, their coverage bears following. Written by editor Shaun Knittel, the SGN account also provides an insider view of the crime and resulting investigation. Knittel was at Neighbours the night of the attack and has acted as a spokesperson for the venue as the investigation unfolded. Now he’s calling for more serious charges in the case.
You can read the full report here: Musab Musmari arrested/charged with New Year’s Eve arson fire at Neighbours
“I believe in innocent until proven guilty,” Knittel writes. “And I expect the man to get a fair trial. But I also expect for Musmari to be charged with more than arson. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that what he did was attempted murder of 750 people.”
In the article, Knittel admits to defying police by leaking surveillance video from the night of the arson to push the investigation forward.
Knittel also recounts the history of the club and talks with ownership about rumors of a connection between Musmari and the family that has owned the club for decades.
Seems pretty obvious he should be charged with attempted murder. You bring a gas can into a crowded building and start a fire… yeah, you are definitely an attempted murderer. And I have no doubt this was a terrorist act, since he’s almost certainly Muslim and we know what they think about gays.
What we have here is a weak, liberal criminal justice system that undercharges criminals as well as an almost religious adherence to political correctness that prevents us from calling something what it is (in this case attempted murder and terrorism).