CALGARY — Police are investigating after someone allegedly tried to break the new chairperson of the Muslim Council of Calgary Foundation’s front door and left gasoline on the porch.

Mostafa Hassan and his family were at their home Thursday night when they heard loud banging on their door, according to the organization’s spokesperson Junaid Mahoon.

Disturbed by the commotion, they approached the door and found it “almost cracked open,” Mahoon said. When they opened the door, they found a jerry can of gasoline sitting on the doorstep, Mahoon said. Moreover, they could smell gasoline in the air.

Mahoon said the family feared that someone was trying to set their home on fire. The family contacted police.

Acting Insp. Sarah Roe confirmed police were called to the home in northwest Calgary just after 10:50 p.m. on Thursday to investigate a property damage complaint related to the broken door. She said they’ve been told about the gasoline, but investigators haven’t confirmed it.

The MCCF, an organization representing Calgary’s Muslim community, said they aren’t sure who was behind the alleged attack in a statement posted to their Facebook page on Saturday night, but they suspected it was a “hate driven act on the family and household” of the MCCF’s newly-elected chairperson.

Hassan was elected MCCF chairperson at the end of September.

“We denounce this attack as it goes against everything we stand for as Muslims and law abiding community members of our society,” it read. “A cowardly attack on an individual’s home is completely unacceptable.”

Police continue to investigate the incident. Roe said the Diversity Resources Unit, a section responsible for cultural awareness and hate crime initiatives, are now involved in the case, but investigators aren’t sure why it happened.

“The motivation into this has yet to be determined,” Roe said.

Mahoon called the incident disturbing.

“If it was a simple burglary with a door being broken — that, one could understand,” Mahoon said. “Which burglar brings gasoline … when they’re trying to attempt theft?”

Regardless of the motivations, Mahoon hoped the police would find the suspects responsible.

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