Washington, March 2, SPA -- A man in Texas has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for setting fire to several Muslim-owned businesses in San Antonio, government prosecutors said Tuesday. Thomas Carroll admitted setting fire and causing serious damage to three businesses owned by Muslims immigrants from India and Pakistan in 2003 and 2004. The attacks were classified as hate crimes under U.S. law. County District Attorney Susan Reed compared Carroll to a terrorist, saying both "commit crimes based on hatred of a people or a religion." Carroll's actions were intended to spread fear through the Muslim community of San Antonio, she said. Sarwat Husain, the head of the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) in San Antonio, praised the conviction. "The stiff sentence handed down in this case sends a positive message to the American Muslim community that bias-motivated attacks will be prosecuted with vigor."--SPA1146 Local Time 0846 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/243580