February 5, 2014
Bail Set at $1M for Accused Seattle Gay Bar Arsonist
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 2 MIN.
A judge has set a $1 million bail Tuesday for the man police believe set a popular Seattle gay bar on fire just after midnight on New Year's Eve, Capitol Hill Seattle reports.
Musab Musmari, 30, was arrested on Feb. 1 in connection to setting Neigbhours, a Seattle gay club, on fire on New Year's Eve. A King County judge set the high bail amount, saying Musmari is a flight risk and cited pending outcomes with recent troubles with the law.
According to Seattle police, Musmari was arrested before carrying out an alleged plan to flee the United States. When he was apprehended by police, authorities said he was carrying his Libyan passport and a one-way plane ticket to Turkey.
Capitol Hill Seattle reports Musmari waived his right to appear in court and his lawyer argued against the judge's high bail.
It was reported this week that Musmari has a history of instability. His former girlfriend was granted a domestic violence protection order against him in 2011 and another woman sought a harassment protection against him after claiming he punched and chased her in July.
Authorities believe Musmari brought a gallon of gasoline to Neigbours, just after midnight on New Years Eve. He allegedly covered a set of stairs with gas, left the container with the remainder of gas at the top of the stairs before lighting the stairs on fire.
The bar was quickly evacuated, and the Neighbour's staff and two off duty military personnel, who had been drinking at the bar, put the fire out with an extinguisher.
"Detectives from our Arson/Bomb Squad, working along with members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), have been investigating this case since the early morning hours of January 1st," a Seattle Police statement on the arrest reads. "Detectives would like to thank the public for all the tips they have received on the person of interest. Following his arrest, the suspect was interviewed by detectives and later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Arson."
Prosecutors have yet to charge the suspect.
