Mosque fire being treated as arson attack

A suspected arson attack at a mosque in Manchester is being investigated by police and the fire brigade.

The Manchester Nasfat Islamic Centre on Droylsden Road suffered ‘significant’ damage after a fire late on Sunday night.

Emergency services were called at around 11.40pm and around 30 firefighters worked to tackle the blaze.

Greater Manchester Police said the offender approached the premises and forced open a window before placing an unknown accelerant inside.

Images taken by witnesses show flames coming from the roof of the building, lighting up the sky and surrounding houses.

A spokesman for the centre said there was no one inside at the time, and that they received a call in the night to say ‘it was being attacked’.

In 2014, a minibus the centre uses to ferry young and elderly visitors to the mosque, was torched.

Monsurat Adebanjo-Aremu, secretary, says this is the third such major fire incident in a year.

She says people have also urinated outside and two pigs’ heads have been thrown into the mosque during worship.

• Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 9770 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.