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Manchester mosque 'seriously damaged' in fire Manchester mosque arson attack is 'hate crime', police say
(about 3 hours later)
A mosque has been severely damaged in a suspected arson attack. A suspected arson attack at a Manchester mosque is being treated as a "hate crime", police said.
Five fire engines tackled the blaze at about 23:43 BST on Sunday at the Nasfat Manchester Islamic Centre, in Droylsden Road, Manchester. An investigation has been launched after a fire at the NASFAT Islamic Centre building in Droylsden Road.
Mosque spokesman Shamusideen Oladimeji said he believed it was arson. The building was the target of an arson attack three years ago. People were "understandably shocked" a place of worship had been attacked, Det Ch Insp Paul Walker of Greater Manchester Police said.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) could not confirm if the fire was being treated as a hate crime. Five fire engines tackled the blaze at about 23:45 BST on Sunday. A prayer room and three classrooms were damaged.
A prayer room and three classrooms were damaged in the attack. Mosque spokesman Shamusideen Oladimeji said there had been two other arson attacks at the centre in the past three years.
Local Labour councillor John Flanagan said: "I have been told early this morning it was an arson attack This has been a dreadful attack on a place of faith." There had also been other incidents, including pigs' heads being thrown into the building, people urinating outside and verbal abuse, he added.
"This is not just an attack on the Muslim faith but on all of us," he added. Police said investigations so far found someone approached the building and forced open a window before placing an "unknown accelerant" inside.
"It is early days but if this was an attack the mosque it is a hate crime." Det Ch Insp Walker added: "We are investigating this as a hate crime which has damaged a place of worship used by members of the Nigerian community."
Mr Flanagan said a local community centre had offered space for Friday prayers and he added that he had been inundated with offers of help He asked anyone in the area at the time to contact police and said patrols would be stepped up to reassure the public.
A GMP spokeswoman said it was carrying out a joint investigation with Greater Manchester Fire Service. "No one should be the subject of hate and intolerance", he said.
Mr Oladimedji said: "It has been seriously damaged - the police won't let us in. Local Labour councillor John Flanagan said: "This has been a dreadful attack on a place of faith. This is not just an attack on the Muslim faith but on all of us."
"We don't know why this happened. We try to be good neighbours and we try to be involved with our local community." Mr Flanagan said a local community centre had offered space for Friday prayers and he added he had been inundated with offers of help.
Mr Oladimeji said: "We don't know why this happened. We try to be good neighbours and we try to be involved with our local community."
Deen Mayodole, vice-chairman of the mosque, added: "We are people of peace."Deen Mayodole, vice-chairman of the mosque, added: "We are people of peace."
Nasfat (Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fathi Society of Nigeria) opened the centre in 2009 and it has about 300 members.Nasfat (Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fathi Society of Nigeria) opened the centre in 2009 and it has about 300 members.