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August 18, 2006

UK: Petrol Bomb Attack On Swindon Mosque

In the early hours of yesterday morning, a mosque in Swindon in Wiltshire, the Jamia mosque in Broad Street, was attacked for a third time, states the Buckinghamshire Free Press and the Western Daily Press. The Jamia Mosque is owned by the Thamesdown Islamic Association.

We reported on the two previous attacks at the mosque. On October 31, a 16 year old youth was remanded in custody, accused setting fire to the Jamia mosque on September 21, and later committing racially aggravated damage to the same mosque on October 4.

Between 20 September and 30 September, the youth had daubed a swastika and racist graffiti onto the town's Sikh temple in Kembrey Street. In January, the youth, then aged 17, was jailed for one year for these offences. His name was Michael Matthews.

On Wednesday, February 8, the mosque was attacked for a second time, when its windows were smashed, at the height of the Muslim "Danish cartoon" protests.

Mr Mansoor Khan, general secretary of the Thames Down Islamic Association Centre, claimed that the vandal(s) had acted out of ignorance. "The people who have done this do not have enough information," he said. He stated that no worshippers from the mosque had made demonstrations against the cartoons, but said that worshippers from the mosque had sent a petition to the Danish Embassy.

The attack from yesterday is more serious than the last two events, as it involved a petrol bomb. Fortunately, the home-made device failed to go off.

Police on patrol arrested a man in nearby Fleming Way, and last night a 22 year old man from the Moredon area was charged on one count of attempted arson, four counts of "religiously aggravated criminal damage" and one count of possessing an offensive weapon. He was detained in custody at a police station, and should have appeared in court today.

Just after 5 am, Azim Khan arrived at the mosque to find the exterior walls of the Jamia mosque adorned with swastikas and anti-Islam statements in white paint. He said that the community had been fearing an attack, (following the recent news of the terror plot by Muslims to attack planes).

He said: "When something national or international happens we get this local reaction and we were expecting it. My advice is please stay calm. Whatever happens nationally, we are not part of it. We want to live in Swindon peacefully. This is our country too and we have all got to look after it."

Khan stated that the mosque damage was minimal, and "could have been a lot worse".

Mansour Khan, aged 63, confirmed that they had been expecting an attack: "We had a meeting with police and we told them we needed extra vigilance in the area after what happened in London. We told them this last Friday and lo and behold it, happens."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at August 18, 2006 8:09 PM

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Posted by: libya at May 16, 2008 11:33 AM

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