By IRNA
London : One of the imams of the London’s Central Mosque is in serious condition in hospital following a brutal attack by a white man of Irish origin.
A police spokesman told the Muslim News that a 40-year old man had been arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm and assault and will appear in court on August 24.
The spokesman said that he was not charged with a racially aggravated offence, but the director general of the mosque, Dr Ahmad al-Dubayan, had no doubts that the attack was religiously motivated in the current atmosphere of growing hostility against Muslims.
“This was an Islamophobic attack,” al-Dubayan told The Muslim News. He accused the media of creating “an atmosphere of Islamophobia” that led to this and other attacks on mosques.
The Muslim Council of Britain also said it is the latest example in a string of anti-Islamic crimes in Britain.
“There is clearly a growing anti-Muslim climate in this country and it has some very worrying implications for all of us,” an MCB spokesman warned.
The 58-year old imam, who did not want to be named, was attacked on Friday morning after the man, who was described as wearing a cross, entered the mosque claiming that he wanted to be converted.
But al-Dubayan said that after the man was offered dates and given explanations about Islam, he suddenly began punching the imam on his forehead and poked his fingers into his eyes, damaging them badly.
The violent assault comes after an increase in attacks against Muslims and mosques since the recent failed car bombings in London and at Glasgow airport.
Muslim News editor Ahmed Versi called on the government and the police to ensure that Muslims and their places of worship are protected in the current hostile climate.
“Such Islamophobic attacks should not be tolerated. There are causing further alienation in the community and add to the dangers of radicalizing young people,” Versi warned.