Suspect questioned after man set alight near Birmingham mosque

Detectives, with enactment from counter-terror police, are questioning a fishy held connected suspicion of mounting a antheral alight aft helium near a mosque.

The antheral was arrested connected suspicion of attempted execution aft the onslaught successful Edgbaston, Birmingham, connected Monday.

The victim, successful his 70s, was approached and sprayed with a substance, earlier his overgarment was acceptable connected fire.

Nearby nonmigratory Mohammed Abbasim said helium was shocked to find idiosyncratic helium knew had been targeted.

"This gentleman, who is simply a victim, our household knows him - we cognize who it is," helium told BBC Radio WM.

The onslaught had happened conscionable aft 19:00 GMT connected Shenstone Road, adjacent the Dudley Road mosque the unfortunate had left.

Mr Abbasim said helium had been sent a video connected WhatsApp astatine astir 19:30 GMT and had walked retired connected to the roadworthy wherever helium had seen constabulary tape.

The incidental had made him consciousness "concerned" for his ain family, friends and neighbours, helium said.

"It's shocking to spot that idiosyncratic that you cognize has been targeted successful this way."

He said the incidental was concerning.

"I could consciousness that determination were things locally implicit the past fewer years, wherever definite communities had benignant of started dividing more," helium said.

"When things similar this happen, it's an accidental for the section radical to travel unneurotic alternatively than disagreement further," helium added.

Neighbours antecedently told however they helped to enactment flames retired and transportation the unfortunate to his location aft the attack, wherever helium was treated by paramedics.

He was taken to infirmary with superior burns to his look and connected Tuesday remained successful a unchangeable condition.

His lad said his begetter was "very severely burned" and added the household was praying for his recovery.

The fishy had been arrested successful Dudley Road, wherever the mosque is, connected Tuesday, aft being identified by officers who had been carrying retired inquiries.

Ch Supt Richard North, commandant astatine the West Midlands force, said: "We are alert of the incidental that happened successful London.

"Our probe continues with enactment from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, who person entree to specializer capabilities to assistance found the afloat circumstances surrounding the incident.

"We are actively moving with the Metropolitan Police to spot if those 2 incidents are connected, that's a large portion of our inquiry," helium added.