2ch netizens have been shocked by the news that a Saudi Arabian man who is a graduate student at one of Japan’s most prestigious universities had been arrested for smashing Buddhist statues after he was reported to police for doing so at one of Tokyo’s major temples.

The man, a student at Keio University, admitted the smashing Buddhas at Sensoji Temple and hinted that he had been responsible for other, similar crimes.

The story, filed under “crimes by foreigners” by Sankei MSN, has prompted some responses that relate to fears of an increasing foreign presence in Japan, while others have pointed out that idolatry in all forms is forbidden in Islam, and might therefore have prompted the man’s behavior.

From MSN Sankei:

Buddha Statue Smashed at Sensoji Temple, Saudi Arabian Graduate Student At Keio University Arrested; Implicated In Damage At Other Temples

At around 1:10am on June 11, there was a call to a police box of the Asakusa division of the Metropolitan Police that stated “a foreign man has smashed a statue of Buddha” at Sensoji Temple, Taito ward, Tokyo. In the grounds of the temple, police also discovered four other statues of Buddha that had cracks in them. When the man, who had been close to Sensoji’s main hall, was voluntarily questioned by police, he admitted damaging the statues of Buddha. Therefore, he was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

The arrested man is Saudi Arabian national Mohammad Abdullah Saad (31), a graduate student at Keio University resident in Minamikase, Saiwai ward, Kawasaki City. The man is said to have hinted that he “has smashed Buddhas at other temples”, and police are in the process of confirming this.

In the small hours of June 11, the suspect allegedly smashed three stone Jizo bosatsu and one bronze statue of Kannon.

According to police, the statues of Buddha that were damaged were those in small wayside shrines without doors and those in the open air.

Comments from 2ch.net:

エルボードロップ(WiMAX)＠＼(^o^)／:

This is an Islamic jihad.

ミッドナイトエクスプレス(京都府)＠＼(^o^)／:

Islam, huh? If you’re going to be an iconoclast, do it in your own country, scum.

ブラディサンデー(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／:

So another Islamic native trying to destroy culture in another country, huh.

断崖式ニードロップ(広島県)＠＼(^o^)／:

Why did he do it?

シャイニングウィザード(沖縄県)＠＼(^o^)／: [in response to above]

In Islam, idols are forbidden because statues and pictures of people are pretending to be God.

There are also examples of historical cultural treasures being destroyed by fundamentalists.

超竜ボム(神奈川県)＠＼(^o^)／:

It’s because of stuff like this that monotheistic religions are scum.

ドラゴンスープレックス(愛知県)＠＼(^o^)／:

Damn…

張り手(静岡県)＠＼(^o^)／:

What the fuck!!

ショルダーアームブリーカー(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／:

Go home!

Don’t come over here and break things that are precious to Japanese people!

稲妻レッグラリアット(やわらか銀行)＠＼(^o^)／:

Muslims, don’t come to Japan.

ジャーマンスープレックス(dion軍)＠＼(^o^)／:

He’s supposed to be so clever, why did he do something that would get him punished?

ムーンサルトプレス(京都府)＠＼(^o^)／:

What the hell did scum like him come to Japan to learn?

If you can’t escape your native roots, then quit being a student.

メンマ(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／:

Banish him from the country.

キドクラッチ(dion軍)＠＼(^o^)／:

I bet that he’s an Islamic fundamentalist terrorist, or maybe a wannabe.

I suppose Japan is going to be full of guys like him one day.

エメラルドフロウジョン(大阪府)＠＼(^o^)／: