Help for worshippers after blaze at mosque
THE MEMBERS of a mosque at the centre of an arson investigation have been offered a new venue – and help to rebuild the damage,
The Manchester Nasfat Islamic Centre was left gutted by the blaze which tore through the building on Sunday night. The suspected arson is now being treated as a hate crime by detectives.
Mosque leaders say it is the eighth time the building in Newton Heath has been targeted in the last four years.
Manchester council has now stepped in to offer up the Stirling Community Centre to members with nowhere to go.
Branch secretary Monsurat Adebanjo-Aremu said worshippers were grateful for assistance but still hoped for a longer-term solution, adding: “They have offered us the centre that we can use and we will use it for now.
“But it does not provide us with all the facilities we need – and we are also concerned about its position.”
Members were also offered water and food by the local community following the fire on Monday morning and there have been offers to help rebuild on social media.
But they argue that much more needs to be done to tackle the wider problem following a campaign of anti-social behaviour.
Monsurat added: “We do feel that the problem has been brushed under the carpet. We are meeting with the police this evening and we hope that they will come up with a plan to protect us.”
The mosque’s members have also been offered support by religious communities across Manchester.
A letter from Manchester’s crossfaith organisation was read out at a meeting between the Manchester Council of Mosques and councillors.
Okunubi Adewale, chairman of the branch, said: “The letter was from the Christian, Jewish, and Sikh community offering their support to us. “We appreciate this.” Det Chief Insp Paul Walker of GMP’s City of Manchester Borough, said: ““People are understandably shocked that someone has attacked a place of worship.
“We are investigating this as a hate crime, which has damaged a place of worship used by members of the Nigerian community.
“Hate crime is often under reported for a number of reasons, but people should have the confidence in coming forward, as no one should be the subject of hate and intolerance.
“We are grateful to have very strong relationships and cooperation with different groups in Greater Manchester, and are working with partner agencies to support the community which has been affected.
“I am urging anyone who may have been in the area at the time, or saw anything suspicious, to please get in touch with police, as you could hold vital information.”