Horror as Muslim worshipper on his way home from mosque is set on fire in street attack
Terror police probe after second assault of its kind in three weeks
COUNTER-TERRORism police were last night called in after a muslim worshipper was set on fire after leaving his mosque – the second such recent attack.
The grandfather was set alight yards from his front door after being followed home from the mosque he prays at five times a day.
The attack in Edgbaston, Birmingham, on monday night was caught on CCTV and came three weeks after a similar incident 120 miles away in Ealing, west London.
The pensioner in his 70s had been praying in front of a suspect described as being ‘somalian’ by fellow worshippers at the Dudley Road mosque.
in the attack, caught on residents’ security cameras, the younger man engaged the greyhaired victim in conversation before he was sprayed with an unknown substance and set alight.
As the victim screamed on the pavement, cars continued to drive past just yards away. He was taken to hospital with ‘serious’ burns to his face and is expected to need skin grafts. Police said he remained in a stable condition.
Tayyab Riaz, the victim’s nephew, said: ‘For 35 years he’s been going to that mosque to pray and there’s never been a problem. suddenly this happens. His hair, beard and eyebrows are badly burnt. We’re praying he’s OK.’
Police arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder after he was spotted trying to return to the mosque as a funeral was about to begin yesterday afternoon.
Footage online showed the suspect being held by two men as a crowd gathered, with some having to be kept back. A source at the mosque said: ‘People recognised him because he had been coming here for a few weeks.
‘They managed to grab him as he walked towards the door and the police came and took him.’
The source added: ‘[The victim] has two children, both boys, and is married. i don’t think he works
as he prays at the mosque five times a day. He is critically ill and can’t open one of his eyes.
‘People in the houses heard him screaming and came out to help, calling 999... But there were people in cars who just drove past without even stopping.’ The source said the mosque’s CCTV revealed that the suspect had visited regularly since first attending on February 28.
The previous night, another worshipper, 82, was set ablaze after being followed out of the West London islamic Centre in Ealing.
in both arson attacks, the suspect was said to have been praying inside before following the victhat tim outside. Both victims were engaged in conversation before being set alight, before their assailant walked away.
The London victim was also taken to hospital for treatment for severe burns to his face and arms.
West midlands Police is leading the Birmingham investigation, with the assistance of counter-terrorism officers. it is understood the Ealing incident is not currently being treated as terror-related.
West midlands Police said: ‘ We would ask the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to us.’
Chief superintendent Richard North added: ‘We are taking this matter extremely seriously and are using all resources available to us. We are keeping an open mind to the motive of the attacker and we won’t speculate further at this stage.
He told iTV News the West midlands force ‘very quickly made the connection’ to the attack in London, adding they were ‘ working closely’ with the met Police to see if the two incidents are connected.
The Association of British muslims said it was ‘ shocked’ and urged anyone with information to come forward to the police.
its co- director, mohammed Abbasi, said: ‘We call for calm and urge all the communities to come together and remain vigilant.’
‘Drove past without even stopping’
‘He can’t open one of his eyes’