A Mali parliament member says seven people were hurt and tens of thousands of dollars of damage were done after a group of Muslims attacked a hotel and nightclub complex he owns in the capital of Bamako.

Nataniel Dembele said Tuesday the followers of a nearby mosque had been threatening his complex for some time saying it was too close to their place of worship. The complex is about 320 feet (100 meters) away. Dembele said more than 100 men armed with sticks, machetes and molotov cocktails attacked the building early Monday morning.

After viewing the damage Tuesday, Mali's Minister for Tourism Mohamed El Moctar said those responsible for the attack would be punished.

He said the attack could not be taken as proof of a rise in fundamentalist Islam in Mali.

