Islamophobic ex-con jailed for 30 years over Florida mosque fire

An ex-convict who investigators say confessed to setting fire to a Florida mosque tied to the Orlando nightclub shooter has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Joseph Schreiber, 32, pleaded no contest to second-degree arson during his hearing overnight in Fort Pierce, a plea treated the same as a guilty plea.

Prosecutor Steve Gosnell says Schreiber confessed to detectives that he set the fire, saying he believed Muslims "are trying to infiltrate our government" and "the teaching of Islam should be completely, completely illegal".

Schreiber read a written statement where he said the fire was not caused by hate but by his anxiety.

He set the fire to the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce last on September 11, 2016, the 15th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. No one was injured in the fire. Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen sometimes attended the mosque.

Last July, Schreiber, who is Jewish, posted on Facebook that "All Islam is radical" and that all Muslims should be treated as terrorists and criminals.