EXCLUSIVE: Traditionally dressed Muslim woman set on fire in Midtown; police investigate possible hate crime

A 36-year-old Scottish tourist wearing traditional Muslim garb had her blouse set on fire in a bizarre incident outside a pricey Fifth Ave. boutique, police sources said Monday.
The victim noticed the sleeve of her blouse was charred and smoldering and was not badly hurt in the Saturday night attack, just hours before the ceremony marking the 15-year anniversary of 9/11.
But the attacker got away, and the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is trying to determine if it was motivated by bias toward Muslims.

The incident happened just after 9 p.m. as the woman was window shopping on Fifth Ave. by Valentino near E. 55th St.

She felt heat on her arm, a police source said, and realized her blouse had been set on fire.
“She saw (the suspect) pull a lighter away and walk away,” the source said. “He doesn’t say anything.”
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, urged a full investigation.
“I would obviously be concerned because it’s symptomatic of the overall rise in Islamophobic sentiment in our society,” he said.
Last Thursday, a 32-year-old woman in Brooklyn was busted on charges of attacking two young Muslim mothers. In the sickening attack, Emirjeta Zhelili allegedly punched the women in the face and tried to rip the hijabs from their heads.