The nail bomb attack that took place at the Kanz ul Iman mosque in Tipton follows a series of incidents, which has raised further tensions amongst the Muslim community.
There were major concerns about the intent of the attack and its timing. The explosion which occurred at around 1pm should have had a heavy foot flow from worshippers, but as the prayer was delayed by an hour, no one was left seriously injured at the time of the attack. Had the Friday prayer not been slightly adjusted, it could have been much worse. The incident took place an hour after the funeral of the murdered British soldier Lee Rigby.
Chairman of the Sunni Confederation of Mosques, Saleem Akhtar said, “These mindless acts are designed to spread fear and anxiety across communities… We believe that people have a right to be free and carry on their lawful business without fear of intimidation or violence”.
Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Cann said the discovery of nails at the scene has led police to consider it a terrorist attack.
Mr. Akhtar concurred with the police saying, “There seems to be a correlation between other mosque attacks, this is not one isolated case. We can only guess but it seems to me, this is an act of terrorism”.
Community mosque leaders have called upon the community not to respond to mindless provocation and to remain calm and extra vigilant.
The police are currently investigating the surrounding areas for further evidence relating to the incident. Residents are also allowed back in their homes, following an evacuation of the local area once the device had been discovered. Mr Akhtar stated, “We call upon the police to ensure the safety of religious buildings and communities especially during the month of Ramadan”.
By Aneesa Malik
