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| Tipton mosque blast was 'terrorist attack', say police | Tipton mosque blast was 'terrorist attack', say police |
| (4 days later) | |
| An explosion which left nails and debris strewn outside a mosque was "an act of terrorism", police have said. | An explosion which left nails and debris strewn outside a mosque was "an act of terrorism", police have said. |
| The blast happened on a disused railway line near Binfield Street in Tipton in the West Midlands at about 13:00 BST. | The blast happened on a disused railway line near Binfield Street in Tipton in the West Midlands at about 13:00 BST. |
| A nearby shopkeeper said: "I did tell the police there to evacuate the area, please for god's sake - there were nails all over the place." | A nearby shopkeeper said: "I did tell the police there to evacuate the area, please for god's sake - there were nails all over the place." |
| Counter terrorism officers were called in and the surrounding area was closed off for several hours. | Counter terrorism officers were called in and the surrounding area was closed off for several hours. |
| 'Terrified and shaken' | |
| Shopkeeper Sadarat Khan said he was coming out of a local chemist when he heard a "bomb blast". | Shopkeeper Sadarat Khan said he was coming out of a local chemist when he heard a "bomb blast". |
| "They [the police] didn't seem to be bothered too much... It took them about 40 minutes to evacuate the place," he said. | "They [the police] didn't seem to be bothered too much... It took them about 40 minutes to evacuate the place," he said. |
| "People were terrified and very scared and shaken." | "People were terrified and very scared and shaken." |
| Resident Raja Khan was about 50m away when he heard the blast and said a device was found on a wall on the disused railway line at the back of the mosque. | Resident Raja Khan was about 50m away when he heard the blast and said a device was found on a wall on the disused railway line at the back of the mosque. |
| He said: "A few kids came out shouting, 'bomb, bomb'. There were branches that came off trees all over the place." | He said: "A few kids came out shouting, 'bomb, bomb'. There were branches that came off trees all over the place." |
| He said he went to the mosque fearing there would be casualties. | He said he went to the mosque fearing there would be casualties. |
| "If it had been when prayers were going on there would've been 300 to 400 people there. There were about 22 to 25 people I think at the time. | "If it had been when prayers were going on there would've been 300 to 400 people there. There were about 22 to 25 people I think at the time. |
| "People are terrified for their kids, myself included." | "People are terrified for their kids, myself included." |
| Asst Ch Con Gareth Cann said whoever was responsible "wanted to cause serious harm". | Asst Ch Con Gareth Cann said whoever was responsible "wanted to cause serious harm". |
| "I can't say for sure it was directed at the mosque, but from what we've seen this seems to be the most likely option," he said. | "I can't say for sure it was directed at the mosque, but from what we've seen this seems to be the most likely option," he said. |
| Minor damage was caused to a window of a nearby house, he said. | Minor damage was caused to a window of a nearby house, he said. |
| A counter terrorism investigation has been started, the force confirmed. | A counter terrorism investigation has been started, the force confirmed. |
| It is understood the explosion centred on an embankment near a disused rail line running behind the mosque. | It is understood the explosion centred on an embankment near a disused rail line running behind the mosque. |
| In a joint statement, the board of trustees and management committee of the Kanzul Iman Central Jamia Mosque said: "We express our deep shock and utter dismay regarding the incident that has occurred this afternoon. | In a joint statement, the board of trustees and management committee of the Kanzul Iman Central Jamia Mosque said: "We express our deep shock and utter dismay regarding the incident that has occurred this afternoon. |
| "On behalf of the local community, we condemn this senseless and mindless act. It's a blessing from God that thankfully no-one was injured in the blast. | "On behalf of the local community, we condemn this senseless and mindless act. It's a blessing from God that thankfully no-one was injured in the blast. |
| 'Day of funeral' | 'Day of funeral' |
| "We call for calm and strongly urge the community not to let this incident divide us and cause disharmony. | "We call for calm and strongly urge the community not to let this incident divide us and cause disharmony. |
| "We stand united, stand together in the aftermath of this mindless act." | "We stand united, stand together in the aftermath of this mindless act." |
| Police lifted most of their cordons at about 21:00 BST but said Binfield Street was likely to remain closed overnight on Friday. | Police lifted most of their cordons at about 21:00 BST but said Binfield Street was likely to remain closed overnight on Friday. |
| Officers gave bottles of water to residents with young children who gathered along Dudley Port in Tipton during the afternoon. | Officers gave bottles of water to residents with young children who gathered along Dudley Port in Tipton during the afternoon. |
| Local councillor Ian Jones said he was "very shocked" by what had happened. | Local councillor Ian Jones said he was "very shocked" by what had happened. |
| He told BBC WM it could not "go unnoticed" that the incident happened on the same day of the funeral of Fusilier Lee Rigby, who was killed in Woolwich in May. | He told BBC WM it could not "go unnoticed" that the incident happened on the same day of the funeral of Fusilier Lee Rigby, who was killed in Woolwich in May. |
| Councillor Syeda Amina Khatun said she was not aware of any previous attacks on the mosque. | Councillor Syeda Amina Khatun said she was not aware of any previous attacks on the mosque. |
| "The whole estate has been blocked off. People are surprised that something like this has happened," she said. | "The whole estate has been blocked off. People are surprised that something like this has happened," she said. |
| The mosque is the central place of worship for Tipton's long-established Muslim population. | |
| The explosion pushes the community back into the headlines after three men from the town were captured in Afghanistan in 2002 and taken to Guantanamo Bay. | |
| Ruhal Ahmed, Asif Iqbal, both 22 at the time, and 26-year-old Shafiq Rasul were dubbed the "Tipton Three" and held at the US camp in Cuba for two years. | |
| They were eventually returned to the UK in March 2004 where they were released without charge. | |
| West Midlands Police are still investigating an explosion which occurred near a mosque in Caldmore in Walsall last month. | West Midlands Police are still investigating an explosion which occurred near a mosque in Caldmore in Walsall last month. |
| About 150 people were evacuated from homes near the Aisha Mosque and Islamic Centre after a device was found in a nearby alley. | About 150 people were evacuated from homes near the Aisha Mosque and Islamic Centre after a device was found in a nearby alley. |
| Mr Cann told the media there was nothing to suggest a link between this incident and what occurred in Tipton. | Mr Cann told the media there was nothing to suggest a link between this incident and what occurred in Tipton. |
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