New York Police Department (NYPD) is investigating a rash of Molotov cocktail attacks on a Shia Islamic center and two nearby houses, as a possible hate crimes, Press TV reports.

New York's Fire Department says a blaze outside the Imam al-Khoei Foundation building in Queens was brought under control quickly after a call came in at about 9 p.m. on Sunday.

The homemade explosives were also thrown at two nearby houses between 8p.m. and 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, heavily damaging one of the buildings.

Fire marshals and police are investigating the four bottle-bombings as possible hate crimes, a Press TV correspondent reported.

According to the police all of the targets were within two miles of each other and the attacks are possibly linked.

Up to 80 people were at the Islamic center at 89-89 Van Wyck Expressway when the incident happened. However there were no reports of injuries.

An eye witness, who attends the mosque, says one of the explosives was made inside a Starbucks Frappuccino bottle.

In the United States, 73 percent of young people aged 18 to 29 say Muslims are the most discriminated against, according to the Washington Times.