DUBAI: Police in the British city of Manchester are treating as suspicious a fire at a mosque which was previously targeted in a spate of racist attacks.
The Manchester Nasfat Islamic Center has, in the past, had two pig heads thrown in during prayers and was subjected to people urinating on the building, Monsurat Adebanjo-Aremu, branch secretary of the centre, told the Manchester Evening News.
A fire broke out at the center at 11.40 p.m. on Sunday before it was tackled by more than 30 firefighters.
A spokesman said the mosque’s leaders had received a call during the night saying the building “was being attached.”
A spokesman for the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) told the Manchester Evening News: “The fire is being treated as suspicious and a joint investigation has been launched by GMP and GMFRS (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service).”
GMFRS confirmed: “We were called at 11.43pm to Newton Heath to reports of a fire. We sent five pumps to the scene and an investigation is now underway.”
Police investigate fire at previously targeted Manchester mosque
Police investigate fire at previously targeted Manchester mosque
Hungary PM to attend Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ inaugural meeting
- Orban attended the launch of the initiative last month in the Swiss ski resort of Davos
- “Two weeks from now we will meet again in Washington,” he said
BUDAPEST: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Saturday that he will be going to Washington “in two weeks” to attend the first meeting of US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.”
Although originally intended to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter does not seem to limit its role to the Palestinian territory and appears to want to rival the United Nations.
One of the US leader’s closest allies in the European Union, the nationalist Orban attended the launch of the initiative last month in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
“Two weeks from now we will meet again in Washington, because the Board of Peace, the peace body, will have an inaugural meeting,” he told a campaign event in the western town of Szombathely.
Permanent members must pay $1 billion to join, leading to criticism that the board could become a “pay to play” version of the UN Security Council.
Orban — currently the longest-serving national leader in the EU — faces an unprecedented challenge at a general election slated for April 12.
Independent polls show the opposition led by Peter Magyar, an ex-government-insider-turned-critic, is ahead with a stagnating economy and growing discontent with public services, among key issues.
