Washington, Oct 17 (IANS) A Republican Party office in North Carolina was firebombed in an attack that presidential candidate Donald Trump blamed on "animals representing Hillary Clinton", despite the Democratic candidate also condemning the incident.

The firebomb was thrown on Saturday night through a window of the office in the predominantly Democratic Orange county, charring furniture and campaign posters, but caused no injuries, the police said.

A swastika and the phrase "Nazi Republicans get out of town or else" were also spray painted on the facade of a nearby building, EFE news reported.

Trump blamed the incident on "animals representing Hillary Clinton and Democrats in North Carolina" in a message on Sunday on his official Twitter account, and said he would never forget the attack.

The Republican candidate added that the attack was launched "because we are winning" given the tight contest in North Carolina, key swing state in the November 8 presidential elections and where Clinton was leading the polls by a narrow margin.

The Democratic candidate also condemned the incident in a tweet, calling it "horrific and unacceptable" and added she was "very grateful that everyone is safe".

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, a Republican, called the firebombing "an attack on our democracy".

"Violence has no place in our society - but especially in our elections. Fortunately no one was injured; however, I will use every resource as governor to assist local authorities in this investigation," he said in a statement.

Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of the Republican Party in North Carolina, called the attack an "act of political terrorism".

"This is a horrific, horrific act of political terrorism, one that we will not succumb to and one that we will answer. When people try to stifle freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, you must come back with more speech and aggressively defend your rights," Woodhouse said.

Why do Indian-Americans support Clinton over Trump?

The Indian-Americans largely support Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton because of the unique relationship she has built with the community and India, according to one of her major backers.

"Historically, Indian-Americans, like other Asian Americans and a lot of other immigrant groups, have been big supporters of the Democratic Party," Frank Islam, an India-born entrepreneur and philanthropist told IANS.

"It has been more inclusive and more welcoming toward all immigrants," he said, adding "I doubt any other American politician has been able to build the kind of relationship with the Indian American community - and India as Clinton."

"Additionally she has been a champion of the middle class for decades," Islam said. 

"As President, she wants to provide better health care and better jobs for all Americans."

"Hillary has been a staunch ally of India and she recognised that Indian-Americans have enabled the US to be a stronger and healthier nation," he added.

Roughly 70 per cent Indian-Americans plan to vote for Hillary Clinton compared with 7 per cent for her Republican rival Donald Trump, according to most recent polls cited by the Washington Post.

"I am a big fan of Hindu and a big fan of India," Trump told a rally organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition in Edison, New Jersey over the weekend.

He also praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "great man", saying the two nations would be "best friends" and "there won't be any relationship more important to us".

"Indian-Americans, as a community, have shunned Donald Trump, and rightfully so," asserted Islam. 

But he conceded that "Trump has touched the nerve of angry and uneducated white working class voters."

"His message on job losses is resonating with these people," he said, adding "Clinton is making every effort to reach out to this demography."

"With her strong economic message, I am confident she will succeed converting a significant section of this group to her side."

Islam was also confident that Clinton will offer "true friendship" to India and "take the US-India relations to the next level".

Noting that "since 1992, the US-India relations have gotten better and better under every president, whether a Democrat or Republican," he said. "I have no doubt that the ties will continue to be nurtured under a Clinton administration."

"There will be focus on trade and economic partnership, on cooperation in the area of defence and counter-terrorism, and on climate change and other global issues," Islam said noting there is bipartisan support for India in the US.

Islam, who is on Hillary Clinton's national finance committee, found it hard to say how much money the community has raised for the Clinton campaign, but he himself is on pace to raise close to $1 million for it.

Republican Hindu Coalition's founder, Shalabh Kumar, is one of rival Trump's biggest fundraisers, according to the Washington Post.

Together with his immediate family, Kumar has given almost $2 million to super political action committees that support Trump, it said.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)