From the Dom Post:

Nazi signs painted on mosque
31 July 2006
By ANNA CHALMERS

A Lower Hutt mosque spraypainted with 666 and swastikas is resorting to plastic windows after recent attacks.

Muslims arrived at the Lower Hutt Islamic Centre at 6.30am yesterday to find four smashed windows, the Nazi symbol and the number 666 – said to be Satan’s number – scrawled across its exterior walls.

The centre was attacked two weeks ago and had been hit more than five times already this year, prayer leader Khaled Abbas said.

“People are getting very, very upset about it,” said Hanif Khan, who chairs Islamic organisation the Hutt Valley Trust.

“We have not done anything at all. We are peaceful and not motivated to go against people.”

The centre had replaced smashed glass windows in its kitchen and library with plastic.

Mr Abbas said he believed the attackers were teenagers.

“We know some of the kids who are doing it, but not all. It’s just ignorance. We understand that. Last time we took a bag of lollies to them.” The Lower Hutt mosque held a barbecue two months ago in an effort to reach out to neighbours, most of whom were very supportive, Mr Khan said.

Police had been notified about the latest attack. Teenagers were jailed several years ago for breaking into the mosque.

The attacks follow the destruction of 16 Jewish headstones at Wellington’s Bolton St Cemetery two years ago, including etched swastikas and Nazi slogans on the ground.

Three weeks later, a chapel at Makara Cemetery was burned down, 92 graves vandalised and swastikas drawn in the chapel and grass.