KINGSTON—Inside the Islamic Centre of Kingston people are clustered around a foosball table after getting out of prayer, while others keep up the steady rhythm of paddles hitting the ball in ping pong.

Light streams in from wide windows facing a snowy parking lot as a little girl in a bright pink hijab clutching a Hello Kitty drawing scurries by.

A small sign next to the kitchen reminds everyone that “cleanliness is part of Islam.”

Mohamed Bayoumi, a professor emeritus in the Queen’s University’s department of electric and computer engineering, has been asked to act as spokesperson for the centre, he says with a smile.

With news of the arrest of a Kingston minor Thursday — who has been charged with knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity; and counselling a person to deliver, place, discharge or detonate an explosive with intent to cause death or serious bodily injury — the city’s Muslim community is bracing themselves for a potential backlash.

The minor cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. On Friday the RCMP said the investigation was started after a tip from the FBI on Dec. 21, and that one individual was believed to be building an explosive device for an attack plan. They have not identified a target for the alleged attack.

Asked if he’s worried about a possible backlash he responded, “to say that I am not worried I think it’s too much.”

But “there is a level of concern,” says Bayoumi, sitting inside the centre’s library and office Saturday afternoon.

He’s proud of the relations the centre has built with the community, including with churches and other faith-based groups who they’ve worked with in common projects, and hopes it will not hurt all they’ve done to cultivate that.

“It’s been a treasure to work with them,” he says.

Nothing has happened yet, he adds, except for negative comments online and on social media.

He says he knows it’s the minority of people to be worried about. But, he says, there is always the odd person and that’s where they are concerned.

A meeting was held Friday, he added, with members of the centre, Kingston Police, the RCMP and other community groups.

“They just wanted to tell us we’re here to support you, and it’s possible there will be some fallout.”

The meeting also included representatives from the board of education, which he appreciated as, he noted, young people are often hit the hardest by generalizations and stereotypes.

“Their environment can be less understanding,”he says.

Kingston police Sgt. Geoff Dempster confirmed the meeting took place Friday but could not offer more details as the staff in charge of it were off for the weekend.

Bayoumi said he does not know anything about the minor who was charged. The RCMP said Friday a potentially explosive device was removed from the teenager’s home during a search and blown up by the Kingston bomb squad Friday morning.

Hussam Alzahabi, 20, was also arrested Thursday but released without being charged Friday afternoon.

Bayoumi said he recognized Alzahabi’s face as one of many who attended prayers at the centre, but doesn’t know any more about him or his family.

Alzahabi told the Star Friday during an interview at his family home that he was friends with the other young man who was charged but hasn’t done anything wrong. He said it was “just accusations” and “a misunderstanding” that caused him to spend the night in police custody.

Neighbour Diane Smith-Merrill, who lives across the street from one of two homes raided in the investigation Thursday, also hopes news of the arrests won’t “feed the haters.”

“I always have such a fear of a backlash,” she told the Star Friday. “It’s just sad.”

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Bayoumi, who has watched as the Muslim community in Kingston has grown from about 300 to 3,000 over the last 25 years, hopes people will not make sweeping generalizations about members of his faith.

“The hope is that the outcome of this incident is not negative,” he says.

“There is a lot in common between Muslim values and non-Muslim values.”