Dar al-Farooq Mosque Bomber Sentenced to 53 Years in Prison

According to a Department of Justice press release from September 13, 2021, Emily Claire Hari, 50, formerly known as Michael Hari, was sentenced to life in prison for the August 5, 2017, bombing of the Dar al-Farooq (DAF) Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota.

In summer of 2017, Hari created a terrorist militia group called “The White Rabbits”. Along with co-defendants Michael McWhorter and Joe Morri, Hari traveled to the DAF Islamic Center specifically to specifically to terrorize Muslims into believing that they are not welcome in the United States.

At 5:00 am while worshippers were convened for morning prayer, the group threw a pipe bomb into the Imam’s office causing extensive damage. The group then retreated and quickly drove off site after the explosion.

In December of 2020, Hari was convicted of intentionally defacing, damaging and destroying religious property because of the religious character of that property; intentionally obstructing and attempting to obstruct, by force and the threat of force, the free exercise of religious beliefs; conspiracy to commit federal felonies by means of fire and explosives; carrying and using a destructive device during and in relation to crimes of violence; and possession of an unregistered destructive device.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said of the crime, “Hari sought to terrorize an entire faith community.  Today’s sentence makes clear that such acts of hate-fueled terror will not be tolerated. The Dar al-Farooq community has shown powerful strength and resolve during this case.  As demonstrated by this verdict and sentence against Hari, the Justice Department will prosecute hate crimes to the full extent of the law, including those that target places of worship and other religious sites.”