The Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, was hit by an incendiary bomb in what the center’s co-founder denounced as a “horrific terrorist attempt.”
At around 4:15 a.m., an explosive was thrown into the triple temple. According to Salem Police — is investigating with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Approximately 12 hours later, police said: “No one was in the building at the time and the device and the damage it caused were not discovered until officers arrived,” and appealed for information about witnesses and potential suspects.
The temple has been targeted before and was lucky that only the side of the building was charred, said Lucien Greaves, co-founder of Satanic Temple. told WBZ.
“I cannot stress enough that this was definitely a horrific terrorist attempt and people could have been injured,” Mr Greaves said.
State Police bomb disposal technicians tested the explosives to ensure there was no longer a threat, and a K-9 swept the building for additional bombs, police said.
Officials from the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also appeared in the investigation.
Police say this is not the first time the Salem Satanic Temple has been suspected of threats and hate crimes.
In January, a Michigan man was arrested on suspicion of planning to bomb the site.
In June 2022, a resident of Chelsea, Massachusetts, was charged with starting a fire at the Satanic Temple in Salem that burned a porch but caused no injuries.
“People just have different religious views and people should do everything they can to embrace that diversity,” Greaves said. “And they don’t have to resort to ridiculous behavior like this.”
The Satanic Temple, founded in 2013, describes itself as a “non-theistic religious group” that advocates secularism, although it says it does not believe in the devil.
