4 held for arson on Malaysian Muslim prayer halls

Assailants have targeted 11 churches, a Sikh temple, a mosque and at least two Islamic prayer halls in various states across the Muslim-majority country since January 8. The attacks mainly involved firebombs that caused minor damage and no injuries, though one church was partially gutted.

The attacks followed an uproar among Malay Muslims over a December 31 court ruling that allowed non-Muslims to use "Allah" as a translation for "God" in the Malay language. Many Malaysian Muslims believe the word should be exclusive to their religion, and that its use by others could confuse some Muslims and even tempt them to convert. The government has appealed the verdict.