Birmingham mosque attacks: Two men arrested in connection with sledgehammer attack
POLICE have arrested two men following a series of attacks on five mosques with a sledgehammer in Birmingham.
West Midlands Police said a 34-year-old man and another man age 38 were arrested after the mosques had their windows smashed yesterday. Both have been held on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage. They remain in custody this evening.
The investigation was a joint probe by the force and its counter terrorism department.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Ward said: “This is a significant step forward in our enquiries however the investigation continues into the motive for the incidents.
“We are working extremely closely with mosques and local communities around the West Midlands and this will continue.
“It remains incredibly important that we unite together against those who seek to create discord, uncertainty and fear."
The mosques damaged were the Witton Islamic Centre, Masjid Madrassa Faizal Islam, Al Habib Trust, Jamia Mosque and the Ghousia Mosque.
Officers said increased patrols will take place in their areas.
The attacks come after Britain’s mosques were put on high alert in the aftermath of the New Zealand terror attack that saw 50 Muslims gunned down in Christchurch a week ago.
Most of those shot in the rampage were migrants or refugees from nations including Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Turkey, Somalia, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, has been charged with murder and is next due to appear in court on April 5.
Around 30 people seriously injured in the attacks at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre remain in hospital, including a girl of four.