Firebomb attack on imam's home caught on CCTV in England

An investigation is underway after CCTV footage captured a masked man carrying out a suspected firebomb attack on the family home of a mosque prayer leader in Bolton, England.

Greater Manchester Police responded to reports of a targeted arson attack at a property on Eastgrove Avenue in the Sharples area on Wednesday evening. The house belongs to Imam Hassan Patel, who was inside at the time alongside his wife, four children, and nephew. Authorities confirmed that all seven occupants managed to escape the burning property without injury, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

Security footage released by Patel depicts a masked suspect dressed in dark clothing approaching the residence. The individual is seen pouring liquid onto a cloth, setting it ablaze, and smashing a window before spraying additional accelerant into the home, causing the flames to intensify rapidly.

"Incidents like this are not acceptable in our community and no one should be made to feel threatened or intimidated," Detective Chief Inspector Mike Sharples said in a statement on Thursday. "Thankfully, no one was injured, however, the consequences of this suspected arson attack could have been very different."

While police believe the firebombing was a targeted incident with no ongoing threat to the wider public, no arrests have been made so far. Neighborhood officers are increasing patrols in the area to provide community reassurance.

The arson attack comes amid a period of heightened regional tension. Earlier on Wednesday, a 30-year-old man appeared in court charged with attempted murder related to a separate, highly publicized attack that left a 44-year-old victim, Stephen Ogilvie, with severe life-altering injuries.

That earlier incident sparked several violent far-right protests across Northern Ireland, where rioters set fire to homes, vehicles, and a Glider bus in East Belfast. The widening civil disorder forced multiple residents to flee their properties and prompted transit authorities to temporarily suspend all local bus and train services.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada