Utah Motel Owner Who Cried "Hate Crime" Now Charged with Arson

September 25, 2002

Source: The Associated Press

On September 25, 2002 The Associated Press reported that "Alpine Lodge co-owner Mazhar Tabesh has been charged with starting the July 21 fire that caused $100,000 damage to the motel. Tabesh, 39, had claimed that the fire was a hate crime by people prejudiced against him and his family because they are Muslims from Pakistan. The motel, owned by Tabesh and his father-in-law, had been on the market for a while and Tabesh had more than once said he 'wanted out from under it,' [Heber City police Sgt. Jason ] Bradley said."