On Monday, Jan. 30, the sun shone on the south side of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center on Sugarland Drive in Sterling, highlighting a former hate crime.
Sheriff's deputies were called out to the property Monday morning for a report of vandalism. It turns out, the graffiti was actually years old.
"The building was damaged a couple of years ago, before we moved in," said ADAMS Center's deputy operating manager Shaheed Brunson. "There were curse words and swastikas across the side of the building."
In September 2002, the ADAMS Center was vandalized and contractors painted over the graffiti. Upon closer inspection Monday, it was determined the graffiti was coming through the paint used to cover it up a few years ago.
"The sun hit the side of the building at a right angle yesterday, highlighting the swastika," Brunson said. "A lot of us are new here. We thought it was something new."
Two Sterling teenagers were arrested and charged with five counts of misdemeanor destruction of property, one count of felony destruction of property and felony hate crime in November 2002 connected to the original vandalism. One of the teens was additionally charged with a second count of felony hate crime after returning to the Mosque on a later date and spray painting an additional swastika on the rear of the building, according to the Sheriff's Office.