Trial begins for man accused of setting fire to Texas mosque

VICTORIA, Texas — A federal prosecutor says a “rabid hatred” of Muslims led a 26-year-old man to set fire to a Southeast Texas mosque.

Prosecutor Sharad Khandelwal made the claim Monday during opening statements in the trial of Marq Vincent Perez.

Perez is charged with a hate crime and also with use of a fire to commit a federal felony in the January 2017 fire that destroyed an Islamic centre in Victoria.

A federal law enforcement officer testified earlier that an informant said Perez believed the centre’s worshippers were terrorists.