Woman arrested for throwing fire bombs at buddhist temple

Authorities say Mei Cheung tossed four firebombs over the gate at the St Dad Buddhist Temple in Palm Gardens

(Palm Beach County Sheriff’s )

A Florida woman was arrested for allegedly firebombing a Buddhist temple.

Authorities say Mei Cheung tossed four firebombs over the gate at the St Dad Buddhist Temple in Palm Gardens, and placed a fifth device in a mailbox.

Cheung, 46, was allegedly captured on video  carrying out the attack and fleeing the scene in a Toyota Sienna minivan with a distinctive front license plate.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies interview Ms Cheung and arrested her on Sunday night.

She was booked and charged with five counts of using a fire bomb and one count of property damage at a religious facility, jail records show.

She remained in the Palm Beach County Jail on a $100,000 bond on Monday, records show.

“Multiple items were found burning on the temple’s grounds,” department officials said in a statement.

“These items were determined to be improvised incendiary devices.”

The firebombs were made out of glass bottles filled with citronella torch fuel and pieces of cloth used as wicks, investigators said.

It is not known why she targeted the Buddhist temple but on 12 September she is also accused of spray-painting “vulgarities” on the temple’s front gate, police say.

The sheriff’s office said detectives are speaking with the State Attorney’s Office on whether charges will be enhanced.

The temple suffered no major damage in the bizarre incident.