Muslim and Sikh places of worship set on fire in Leeds in suspected hate crimes

Two late-night arson attacks on Muslim and Sikh places of worship in Leeds are being treated as hate crimes by police.

West Yorkshire Police were called to the Jamia Masjid Abu Huraira Mosque in Beeston, south of the city centre, where the main door had been set on fire at about 3.45am on Tuesday.

A few minutes later, the door of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Gurdwara was also set on fire in nearby Lady Pit Lane.

The Sikh Press Association said a bottle filled with petrol had been set alight at the doorstep of the Gurdwara, triggering a smoke alarm. Residents called the fire brigade and the police and the fire was quickly dealt with, they said.

Detective Inspector Richard Holmes, of Leeds District CID, said: “We are treating both these incidents as linked given the closeness of the locations and the similar times that they have occurred.

“While our investigation is still at a relatively early stage, we do believe these premises have been specifically targeted as places of worship and we are treating both incidents as arsons and hate crimes.

“We are currently carrying out extensive enquiries, including checks on CCTV in both areas, and we would like to hear from anyone who has witnessed any suspicious activity or seen any person or vehicles in the areas around the time these incidents have occurred.”

He added: “We would also like to hear from anyone who has any other information that could assist the investigation.

“Clearly we will always treat incidents of this nature very seriously and will be doing everything we can to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

In a statement, representatives of the Gurdwara said: “We have attended a police emergency meeting today and have been assured by the chief of Police that they are doing all they can to catch the criminals and will add extra police patrols in the area.

“They are working through the CCTV footage from around the mosque.”

The statement added: “It is damaging for children to see their Gurdwara or Mosque threatened like this. The police are happy to come to talk to children if the community feels this will not deter youngsters coming to the Gurdwara on their own.”

Dalbir Singh Sagoo, coordinator of the Sikh community Hate Crime forum, said: “Everyone must be more vigilant and must report any suspicious activity to the Hate Crime Reporting Centre in the Gurdwara or directly to the Police.”

Inspector Ian O’Brien, who heads neighbourhood policing for south Leeds, said: “These incidents will cause an understandable level of concern in both the Muslim and Sikh communities in this area and we are working closely with key representatives from those communities to reassure them.

“Although it appears both locations have been specifically targeted as places of worship for these communities, there is nothing at this stage to suggest they are part of any wider pattern.

“We have increased our patrols of the area to provide visible reassurance to people living there and will continue to keep key community representatives informed as the investigation develops.”

He added: “Hate crimes that target particular communities and have the potential to cause divisions and tensions cannot and will not be tolerated and we will continue to do everything we can to find those responsible and support and reassure the communities affected.”