Pressure Cooker Discovered At Dearborn Hotel

DEARBORN,MI – Police in Dearborn are trying to understand why a pressure cooker was left in the restroom of the Adoba Hotel, forcing the evacuation of guests until the early morning hours.

The evacuation also canceled Sunday night’s banquet of the University of Muslim Association of America.

Asgar Zaidi of Washington D.C. has been attending the organization’s conference for the past 11 years. He says it’s the first time it’s ever been held in Dearborn.

“We all look forward to this time of year, Memorial Day weekend … we have fun, we learn and it’s just disheartening to see this type of stuff happen here,” said Zaidi.

The pressure cooker discovered at the hotel was detonated by police as a precaution, but contained no explosives.

Dearborn officers have determined that the pressure cooker had not been converted into any type of explosive device.

Pressure cookers were used in the bombings at the Boston Marathon.

Attendees including Kasin Hasn are trying to understand why someone would do this.

“I don’t want to jump to any conclusions … pointing fingers at anybody, but I hate extremests just as much as everyone else hates extremists. It doesn’t matter what faith you are … ” said Hasn.

Hasn added that there did not seem to be much activity going on … but guests were told to evacuate from the hotel and although he was not frightened by the incident he says his main concern is whether there was a real threat.

The University of Muslim Association of America, also known as “UMAA”, encourages civic awareness and engagement in the Muslim American community.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and they do not have a suspect or a motive at this time.

Most of the Arab-Americans in Dearborn and the Detroit area are ethnic Lebanese, who immigrated in the early twentieth century to work in the auto industry, like many immigrants to the area. They have been joined by more recent Arab immigrants from other nations.

Detroit.cbs. local.