UK PM ‘concerned’ after ‘serious security incident’ at Manchester mosque
White man arrested after allegedly entering during prayers carrying weapons including an axe
Starmer: ‘This will be worrying for Muslim communities, especially during Ramadan, a time of peace and reflection’
Updated 25 February 2026
Arab News
LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed concern after a mosque in the city of Manchester was allegedly targeted by a white male carrying weapons including an axe, Sky News reported on Wednesday.
The suspect, in his 40s, was arrested after allegedly entering the mosque as Ramadan prayers were held.
He was said to be accompanied by a black man as he entered Manchester Central Mosque on Tuesday evening.
The first suspect was arrested by police on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon and possession of class B drugs. He remains in custody for questioning.
Starmer wrote on X: “I am concerned to hear of the incident at Manchester Central Mosque last night. I know this will be worrying for Muslim communities, especially during Ramadan, a time of peace and reflection.
“My thanks go to the volunteers and emergency services for their quick response.
“We have provided up to £40m ($51 million) funding for additional security at mosques, Muslim schools and community centres, and will continue to act to ensure communities are able to live without fear.”
In a statement, the mosque said it had been targeted in a “serious security incident,” and a “white male entered wearing a hi-vis jacket carrying a large bag.” He was accompanied by a “black male, both entering the mosque at the same time.”
Mosque volunteers “spotted the suspicious bag containing an axe, which was placed into the main hall of the mosque by the assailant.
“The white male was escorted to a separate room by volunteers and was found to have been carrying multiple weapons including a hammer and a knife. He was eventually arrested by the police.
“The black male left the mosque shortly before police arrived, after it became apparent that the situation had been contained. To our knowledge, he has not yet been arrested by Greater Manchester Police.”
Urgent resources are needed to address growing threats to the UK’s Muslim community, the mosque statement said.
“The swift and responsible actions of our volunteers played a crucial role in containing the situation,” it added. “Without their intervention, the consequences could have been far more serious.”
Simon Nasim of Greater Manchester Police said: “We have swiftly arrested one individual and officers are working to locate the second man. No threats were made and thankfully, no one was injured.”
Local MP Afzal Khan said: “Just this week, the chancellor and home secretary announced more funding for protecting mosques, and this incident demonstrates once again why this funding is so vital.
“This is the consequence of far-right politicians scapegoating Muslims. This is Islamophobia, plain and simple.”
In Lahore’s historic Walled City, Ramadan fills the rows at Mughal-era Sunehri Mosque
Experts call for restoration of the 18th-century mosque amid encroachments and structural strain
Generations of traders shift their work schedules in Ramadan to gather for iftar and nightly prayers
Updated 46 sec ago
Farheen Ale Syed
LAHORE, Pakistan: In Old Lahore’s Kashmiri Bazaar, Ramadan changes the rhythm of trade.
By late afternoon, shop shutters begin to drop halfway and traders step away from their counters. Within minutes, the courtyard of Sunehri Mosque begins to fill.
On most days, the 18th-century mosque holds just a few rows of worshippers. In Ramadan, that number more than doubles.
“It has been 27 years since I have been leading the prayers here,” Qari Mohammed Hanif, the 47-year-old imam at the mosque, told Arab News. “On normal days, there are four to five rows. But in Ramadan, the mosque fills completely. People stand till the lower end.”
The congregation is largely drawn from the surrounding market — shopkeepers, traders and workers who close their businesses and walk directly into prayer.
The congregation at Sunehri Masjid is largely drawn from shopkeepers, traders and workers who close their businesses and walk directly into prayer. (Supplied)
For many, the mosque is inseparable from livelihood.
“I have a shop at Sunehri Masjid,” said Nasir Mehmood, 46, who runs a yarn business steps away. “This is our third generation running the shop. First it was my grandfather, then my father and now us. The shop is 50 years old.”
He said that at the beginning of Ramadan, he breaks his fast at home with his family. As the month progresses, the routine shifts.
“We start breaking our fast here at the shop, together with our friends and fellow shopkeepers. We also offer Taraweeh prayers here,” he continued, referring to the special Ramadan prayer performed after the obligatory Isha prayer at night.
Working hours extend as well.
“For the first three to four fasts, we come at 12 p.m. and leave after Asar prayers,” said Sheikh Mohammed Saleem, 50, who runs a clothing shop nearby. “After that, our routine changes. We open at 11 a.m. and stay until 12 a.m. at night, continuing this schedule until the last fast of Ramadan.
“Some food is brought from home, and some we buy from the market,” he added. “All of us gather together to break our fast.”
For many, the mosque is inseparable from livelihood. (Supplied)
Others return year after year for spiritual reasons.
“I have been coming here for 11 years,” said Mohammed Rafique, 45. “Whenever I am in this area, I always come to this mosque. I find peace here, peace in my heart. There is something from Allah. I cannot explain it. Whenever I come here, I try to break my fast here.”
Even younger traders feel a strong attachment to the space. Abdullah, 25, who gave only one name, said the mosque has become part of his working life.
“I have a shop in Lahore’s Rang Mehal, in Kasera Bazaar, under Sunehri Masjid,” he said. “I have been here for three years. The environment here is very good, the people are good.”
GILDED DOMES
The building that fills so quickly during Ramadan was constructed in 1753 during the later Mughal period by Nawab Bhikari Khan, a deputy governor of Lahore. Its three gilded domes gave it the name “Sunehri,” meaning golden.
Unlike imperial Mughal mosques built in expansive courtyards, Sunehri Mosque was embedded within a functioning marketplace. It rose not in isolation but among shops, a structure woven into commercial life rather than set apart from it.
“The Sunehri Mosque is small in scale because it was built during the decline of the Mughal Empire, a time when political power had weakened and resources were limited,” cultural heritage expert Saad Zahid told Arab News. “Its modest size and comparatively simple detailing reflect this period of reduced imperial strength.
Sunehri Mosque was embedded within a functioning marketplace. It rose not in isolation but among shops, a structure woven into commercial life rather than set apart from it. (Supplied)
“Unlike earlier Mughal monuments, it does not display the same richness or refinement, making it an important example of late Mughal architecture in Lahore,” he added.
Lahore, once a major administrative and cultural center of the Mughal Empire, saw numerous mosques constructed at the height of imperial power. Like most of them, Sunehri Mosque’s courtyard also featured a central pond, a hallmark of Mughal mosque design, though visitors usually find it dry these days.
Sunehri Masjid
While the mosque remains active and crowded during Ramadan, aspects of its physical condition raise concern.
The historic shops built beneath the mosque are now heavily encroached upon, obscuring parts of the mosque’s facade. Piles of wooden ladders and used boxes are stacked along sections of the structure. Tangled electricity wires hang across and above the building, cutting through the visual line of its domes. In some areas, residents hang washed clothes along its outer walls to dry.
B
angled electricity wires hang across and above the building, cutting through the visual line of its domes. (Supplied)
Behind the mosque lies Baoli Bagh, once associated with an important Sikh-era gurdwara site, which Zahid said also deserves conservation.
He also argued that, like the Badshahi and Wazir Khan mosques, Sunehri Mosque should remain open to visitors beyond prayer times and be more actively promoted as part of Lahore’s historic landscape.
“The frescoes inside the mosque today appear overly bright and artificial. The original Mughal paintings were likely more subtle in tone, suggesting that later interventions have altered its authentic appearance,” he said, emphasizing the urgency of the building’s careful restoration to protect original design, materials and architectural identity rather than replace them with new construction.
