Police Arrest Musab Mohamed Masmari in Neighbours Arson Case

SPD Blotter

Police released this image on January 13 of a person of interest in the Neighbours arson case, believed to be Masmari.

Seattle police arrestedthis morning in association with the New Year's Eve arson at Neighbours nightclub, says Detective Mark Jamieson.

The Seattle Police Department's Arson/Bomb Squad had been working with a joint terrorism task force since the incident occurred in the early minutes of January 1, when someone poured gasoline down a flight of stairs in the packed gay bar and lit it ablaze. All 750 patrons escaped without injury. SPD posted photos of a person of interest in the case on January 13, now believed to be Masmari. (The Stranger's previous reporting on this case is here.)

Police say that Masmari, 30, was apprehended today outside of Seattle while he was traveling to Sea-Tac Airport. Detectives then interviewed Masmari and booked him into King County Jail this afternoon as a suspect in the arson investigation. The soonest Masmari would make a court appearance is Monday, according to Jamieson, who says police would "like to thank the public for their tips."