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Immigration firebombing suspect ‘posted anti-Muslim rants on Facebook’

Andrew Leak, 66 and from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, has been named as the suspect in the firebombing of an immigration centre in Dover.

Katie Boyden
Tuesday 01 November 2022 13:50 EDT
The suspect in a firebombing attack at an immigration processing centre in Kent appeared to post anti-Muslim rants on Facebook (PA)
The suspect in a firebombing attack at an immigration processing centre in Kent appeared to post anti-Muslim rants on Facebook (PA) (PA Wire)

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The suspect in a firebombing attack at an immigration processing centre appears to have posted anti-Muslim rants on Facebook.

He was named by police on Tuesday as Andrew Leak, aged 66 from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.

Leak is thought to have thrown two or three incendiary devices at the Western Jet Foil site in Dover, Kent, at about 11.20am on Sunday before killing himself in his car in the car park of a nearby garage.

He was described by North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale on Monday as having “severe mental health difficulties”.

You can clearly not look for work if you cannot read English or speak English, they are breaking the law, time to stand up

Andrew Leak, writing on Facebook

Facebook posts on an account under the name of an Andy Leak from High Wycombe contain anti-Muslim sentiments and complaints about people claiming benefits if they do not speak English.

One, shared on August 9, said: “The next time the job centre sanctions your money for not looking for enough work ask them about the thousands of people getting benefits cannot speak English and can not write English, how are they looking for work?

“Unemployment benefits clearly state you cannot claim benefits if not looking for work, all of these people should be excluded from benefits.

“You can clearly not look for work if you cannot read English or speak English, they are breaking the law, time to stand up.”

Another post, on July 24, said: “All Muslims are guilty of grooming, they never spoke out because it wasn’t their daughters, f****** animals wake up up.

“They only rape non-Muslims that’s a religious hate crime are you f****** stupid.”

Leak also shared an anti-royal family post on March 20, saying: “Prince Charles says he’s going to house Ukrainian refugees in one of his properties that belong to the British people, what about soldiers and members of the public sleeping in doorways? Disgrace.

“End the royal family now.”

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health services for Buckinghamshire, declined to comment when asked by the PA news agency whether Mr Leak was a patient or was known to the organisation, adding that it was a “police matter”.

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