Peace vigil to be held in Birmingham as mosque condemns 'barbaric' attack

A peace vigil is to be held in Birmingham on Friday to promote unity, after the city's most prominent mosque issued a statement condemning the Westminster terror attack as "barbaric and heartless".

The city centre vigil has been organised by the Stand Up To Racism group and MEND (Muslim Engagement and Development) and will begin at 5pm in High Street.

Officials at Birmingham Central Mosque Trust recently published a 12-page booklet entitled Terrorism is not Islam, endorsed by West Midlands Police and 29 other major mosques in the city.

In a statement, mosque chairman Muhammad Afzal said of Wednesday's atrocity in London:

Several addresses were raided on Wednesday night, including a flat on Hagley Road in Birmingham Credit: ITV News

Urging calm within all communities and offering condolences to those bereaved by the attack, Mr Afzal added:

In a statement on Facebook, the organisers of the vigil wrote: "Our thoughts are with all those affected by what has happened.

"Birmingham is a united city and we will not let anyone use these terrible events to divide us. Please come and join us on Friday for a unity vigil."