A MOSQUE was “completely destroyed” in a fire that took place just hours after President Donald Trump announced a ban on Muslim entry to the US.

The Victoria Islamic Centre in Texas was torched in the early hours of Saturday morning – a week after it had been burgled.

6 The Victoria Islamic Centre in Texas was set on fire yesterday in the early hours Credit: Victoria Islamic Center / Facebook

6 The blaze was spotted by a shop assistant at approximately 2am on Saturday Credit: AP:Associated Press

6 Fire fighters put the flames out but it was said to have been ‘completely destroyed’ Credit: AP:Associated Press

The religious centre was also the subject of hate graffiti in 2013 and was spotted burning to the ground by a shop assistant yesterday at approximately 2am.

Shahid Hashmi, the centre's president, said: “It's sad to stand there and watch it collapse down, the fire was so huge. It looks completely destroyed.”

Victoria Fire Marshal Tom Legler asked for help from the Texas Fire Marshal's Office and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine what caused the blaze.

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Hashmi said authorities have told him it was too early to speculate as to what happened in the city located around 115 miles southwest of Houston.

He said: “We don't have any lead or information as to what started the fire and what happened. So I'm sure it's going to be a few days, they told us, before they can come up with any answers for us."

Hashmi also said that the centre’s imam was awake in the early morning hours and checked surveillance footage of the mosque and found no active alarm and the doors unlocked.

6 The fire came just a week after the mosque was burgled of laptops Credit: Victoria Islamic Center

6 In 2013 the religious centre was also the subject of hate graffiti Credit: Victoria Islamic Center

On January 21 a thief broke into the building, built in 2000, and stole electronic equipment including laptops.

Hashmi said the iman drove over to the burning mosque but “by that time, fire engines were already there pouring water on the fire”.

No injuries were reported at the scene and it took approximately four hours to extinguish the blaze.

Hashmi, who has lived in Victoria for 32 years, said the congregation of about 140 people have had few other problems and have enjoyed support from the city’s inhabitants.

6 No injuries were reported with the fire taking roughly four hours to extinguish Credit: Victoria Islamic Center

He said: “When 9/11 happened, Muslims and non-Muslims, we all got together. Of course, we will rebuild.”

On January 7, a mosque under construction near Lake Travis in Austin, Texas, was burned to the ground.

The Texas office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said it would monitor the investigation into the blaze as well as the one in Victoria.

Mustafaa Carroll, from CAIR, said: “Because of growing anti-Muslim bigotry in our nation and because of the recent spike in hate incidents targeting Islamic institutions and individuals, we urge investigators to keep the possibility of a bias motive for this fire in mind.”

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