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Nov 29, 2005 4:48 pm US/Eastern
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Montgomery County Man Charged In Mosque Shooting
by Lesley Van Arsdall
NORTH PENN (CBS 3) ―
A National Islamic Civil Rights group wants the F.B.I. to bring federal charges against a man accused of firing shots into parked cars at a Montgomery County Mosque.
53-year-old Robert Blackburn tried to hide his face and said nothing as he was led to and from court Tuesday afternoon.
Police say Blackburn allegedly fired more than 50 shots at two cars parked in the North Penn Mosque. When they caught up with him he was dressed in his hunting gear with a .22 -caliber rifle in his car along with several rounds of ammunition.
An officer testified to seeing Blackburn and his car in the Mosque parking lot minutes after the shots were fired.
Tuesday, a judge ruled there was more than enough evidence to hold him for trial on charges of ethnic intimidation and reckless endangerment.
"We're very glad that the ethnic intimidation charge was held. that's the main charge that we were most concerned about," stated Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Carolyn Flannery. "These people were being targeted because of their religion and that's something we just can not stand for. We're looking forward to trial."
But for members of the mosque, many say they were not satisfied.
Mosque member Abdul Hannan said, "We're really not happy because we need justice. The police have already proved that he was there at the time and he was arrested by the officer on this spot, he started shooting, everything matches. Now he said he is not guilty and it does not make any sense to us."
Blackburn's next court appearance is scheduled for January. Mosque members say they will follow the trial until they believe justice has been served.
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