Mpls mosque hopes to teach others about Muslims

A mosque in Minneapolis is holding an open house to teach the broader community about the Muslim faith and Somali culture.

The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Civic Center at 504 Cedar Ave. South is opening its doors from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. The event is sponsored by the center and the Islamic League of Somali Scholars in America.

The event is billed as a night of "building bridges" and will include Somali cuisine and information about the center's activities.

Last week in Portland, Ore., a 19-year-old Somali-American was arrested in an alleged plot to blow up a bomb. Days later, a mosque was set on fire.

Dar Al-Hijrah's executive director Abdikadir Ibrahim says the open house was planned before the Oregon arrest and is part of ongoing community outreach. But he says the issues in Portland show such outreach is important.

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