NASHVILLE — One of three people who pleaded guilty to the firebombing of a Columbia mosque in 2008 was sentenced to just more than 15 years in prison.
Eric Ian Baker, 34, pleaded guilty in September to charges of destruction of religious property and using a fire to commit a felony.
According to a federal indictment and testimony, Baker tagged the Islamic Center of Columbia with swastikas and the words “White Power” while co-defendants Jonathan Stone, 20, and Michael Golden, 24, torched it with Molotov cocktails. Baker then helped spread the fire and stole a stereo system.
In federal court in Nashville on Thursday, Baker’s attorney Ray McGowan argued unsuccessfully that his client had been unfairly characterized as the leader of a loosely organized white supremacist group and an organizer of the firebombing scheme.
Co-defendant Stone testified at the hearing that Baker had given him a swastika tattoo on his chest. He also said that after they were in jail Baker instructed him to write in a letter to Stone’s brother that the brother should “recruit new members so that when we get out we will have an army.”
But Stone also testified that the decision to burn the mosque had been a group decision.
Baker testified on his own behalf that he no longer feels animosity toward Muslims. He said he is in jail with an Egyptian Muslim who has shown him that not all Muslims are violent extremists, which is the impression he had gotten from television.
“He showed me how martyrdom by suicide was not a part of his belief,” Baker said.
Now, Baker said, he follows the example of the apostle Paul, who was disturbed by the idols he saw in Athens but was “courteous and respectful” as he reasoned with the Jews and Greeks he found there, trying to convince them of his beliefs.
Judge Robert Echols gave Baker a shorter sentence than the one recommended by guidelines. He offered several reasons for this, including the fact that Baker had avoided any serious trouble with the law for the 10 years before the mosque burning.
Prosecutor Hal McDonough objected to the lesser sentence but said after the hearing that he did not know whether the government would choose to appeal it. McGowan said he felt the sentence was “fair.”
Daoud Abudiab, president of the Islamic Center of Columbia, said he would have expected a longer sentence, given that Baker was thought to be the group’s leader.
“But I feel the court recognized the gravity of their actions, and 15 years, in my opinion, is reflective of that,” he said.
The Islamic Center purchased and renovated a new building with the help of other faith groups and was able to worship in it by November 2008, he said.
“This has changed our lives forever,” Abudiab said ... “but we choose to focus on the positive aspect of how everyone reacted to it.”
On Tuesday Baker had filed a handwritten motion requesting to withdraw his guilty plea, but he dropped that request at Thursday’s hearing.
Stone and Golden both pleaded guilty to the same charges as Baker. Golden was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Stone has not yet been sentenced.
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