Teenagers released as police investigations into Morden mosque fire continue

Two teenagers arrested following a suspected arson attack on a south London mosque have been released by police.

The two boys, aged 14 and 16, were arrested on suspicion of arson on Sunday following the blaze and held in custody. Scotland Yard said the 14-year-old had been bailed until early January while the other boy would face no further action.

A police spokesman added that currently there was nothing to suggest that the fire was started as a hate crime.

The fire at the Baitul Futuh mosque in Morden, said to be the largest in western Europe, started on Saturday with a member of the public reported the blaze just after noon.

A man was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, and London Fire Brigade said the blaze had hit admin buildings though the ''mosque itself is thankfully unaffected''.

The mosque was built for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to provide people with a meeting place and somewhere to hold social religious events.

It was built on the site of the old Express Dairies in 1999. The building bears the Ahmadiyya Muslim motto ''Love for all, hatred for none''.

Merton Council leader Stephen Alambritis described the mosque as a ''major landmark'' in the area.

Damage to the ''beautiful building'' will be a ''big blow'' to the community, he said.

The MP for Mitcham and Morden, Labour's Siobhain McDonagh, spoke of her shock at news of the fire.

''The mosque does a huge amount for the local community. They are tireless raisers of funds for charity - their own charities' funds and charities in the community,'' she said.