Man accused of vandalizing mosque pleads guilty to charges

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man accused of writing anti-Muslim comments on an Ohio mosque has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of desecrating a place of worship and misdemeanour charges of ethnic intimidation and criminal mischief.

Court records show Todd Williams pleaded guilty Tuesday in Columbus.

The 44-year-old Hilliard man was charged in the vandalism in February at the Ahlul-Bayt Society Islamic Center in suburban Columbus. Prosecutors say security video showed Williams writing comments including “Allah Is A Fraud Dum Dums” on the mosque’s glass doors.

Williams told WBNS-TV at the time of his arrest his actions weren’t driven by hate. He said he wanted “to turn them to the true God.”