Tipton terror incident

A muslim leader has called on the police to protect mosques from attacks. He was speaking after a nail bomb was left at one mosque and ahead of a protest this weekend by the English Defence League.

A counter demonstration against the EDL is also planned for this weekend.

This afternoon, police revealed there are more patrols around mosques. A community leader warned of the pressures on his community and urged people to be calm and vigilant.

Mark Gough reports.

Muslim leaders in Birmingham are appealing for calm ahead of an EDL protest in the city this weekend.

Mr Saleem Akhtar from the Sunni Confederation of Mosques says Muslims may be forced to protect their property from attacks.

A mosque in Tipton was targeted recently by a suspected nail bomb.

Mr Akhtar stressed that Islam does not condone violence of any kind but said people may react if they are pushed and provoked.

Concerns have been expressed over the timing of the terror explosion, which took place in Tipton on Friday.

The Sunni Confederation of Sunni Mosques said:

The mosque where a suspected terrorist explosion was carried out has re-opened to worshippers.

Friday's blast scattered debris including nails around the area in Tipton.

Worshippers were allowed back inside the Kanzul Iman Masjid Mosque last night.

Specialist officers are searching land near a Mosque in Tipton, where there was an explosion on Friday. It is being treated as a an act of terrorism.

The Government has backed the police investigation into the suspected terrorist explosion in Tipton.

Security Minister James Brokenshire said the force has the Home Office's "full support."

Detailed searches are ongoing in Binfield Street and the surrounding area following the explosion behind Kanzul Iman Masjid mosque just after 1pm on Friday.

Specialist officers are carrying out further searches today as police continue their investigation into Friday's explosion in Tipton that is being treated as an act of terrorism.

Yesterday evening a controlled explosion was carried out after officers discovered a component part of the explosive in a garden.

Army bomb disposal experts made the item safe at 5.15pm. The Kanzul Iman Masjid Mosque is expected to remain closed until at least this evening while the investigation continues.

A controlled explosion has been carried out by bomb disposal experts after police found what they believe was a small component part of a bomb which exploded near to a mosque in the West Midlands yesterday.

It comes as religious and community leaders put on a united front at the scene in Tipton today.

They've been reassuring local people and say this act of terror has brought the community closer together as Karen Griggs reports.

Adrian Bailey, the MP for West Bromwich West, says "calmness" has returned to the area but thinks there is an "underlying fear and apprehension" amongst locals because of what has happened.

He added that the 'terror incident' is something that is "totally alien to the experience of this community".

A controlled explosion has been carried out, after police found what they believe is a small component part of a bomb, which exploded near to a mosque in the West Midlands yesterday afternoon.