Car hits UK Eid crowd, not terror related police believe

LONDON — British police yesterday said they did not suspect terrorism was involved when a car ploughed into a group of faithful leaving Eid prayers in Newcastle, northeast England. Six people were hospitalised after a car crashed into pedestrians outside a sports centre in Newcastle, but Northumberland police said “it is not believed to be a terror incident”.

Police said they had arrested a 42-year-old woman, who is currently in custody.

One man was killed last week when a van was driven into a group of worshippers outside a mosque in north London. A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said that they were contacted at 09.15 to say that a car had mounted the kerb outside Westgate Sports Centre and hit a group of worshippers who had just attended Eid prayers.

“We have taken six people to hospital, they have gone to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, three children and three adults,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said that one boy, aged around eight, “was really badly injured”, according to the BBC.

Muslims across the world are celebrating the first day of the Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

The three day Eid-al-Fitr depends on the sighting of the moon and it usually marked by early morning prayers followed by family visits and feasts.

Residents in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslimmajority country, said they hoped the spirit of Eid would overcome fears about rising violence.

Millions of Indonesians attended Eid prayers in their best outfits across the country despite reports of a police officer killed in an attack by suspected ISIL fighters in the city of Medan.

Iraq refugees who fled Mosul fighting spend Eid in desparate conditions

Tens of millions of people in Ethiopia, which has the second largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa, marked the joyous Eid.

Huge crowds arrived at and around the Addis Ababa stadium for Eid prayers early in the morning.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Mohammed Nur, the Islamic Affairs president, said: “Our country Ethiopia is characterised by religious plurality and the people have lived in harmony for ages. “Muslims in the country should stand vigilant against extremist elements.”

Millions of Muslims in Egypt performed Eid prayers in more than 5,000 open areas across the country amid a stepped-up security presence, while President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi performed prayers at a mosque at Egypt’s naval headquarters in the coastal city of Alexandria.— Al Jazeera