UPDATE: Three arrested in Hudson mosque vandalism

HUDSON -- Police have arrested three men in connection with the vandalism of a Hudson mosque Wednesday.

Christopher Osborn, 20; Roy Francis, 20; and James Glover, 19, all of Hudson, were arrested Thursday and charged with felony first-degree aggravated harassment, misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal mischief (hate crime), and misdemeanor fifth-degree conspiracy.

Police were able to identify the men as suspects with the help of citizens in the community, said Lt. Richard Paolino of the Hudson Police Department. 

The men are being held pending arraignment Thursday evening.

Sept. 8, 2010

HUDSON -- Police are investigating a vandalism at a mosque, believed to have occurred sometime in or close to the noon hour.

The president of the Hudson City Common Council, Don Moore, told CBS 6 a derogatory statement using an ethnic slur against Arabs was written on the front of the mosque at 3rd and Columbia Street.

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Police Chief Richardson said members of the mosque discovered the writing sometime in the noon hour. The writing was not there when members went home Tuesday night at about 11 p.m.

Moore said there is a "substantial amount" of Muslims in the Hudson community. The Association of Religion Data Archives, using data from the Religious Congregations and Membership Study of 2000, reports the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metro area had about 2,300 Muslim adherents in that year.

Most officials said there was some tension nine years ago after the 9/11 attacks, but all agreed they have never "seen anything like this."

City, county and state police are now investigating the incident.