The Market is Talking About a Concerning Incident at Manchester Mosque
A man has been arrested after allegedly entering the Manchester mosque with an axe in his bag during Ramadan prayers, raising significant concerns within the community. The incident occurred at Manchester Central Mosque in the Victoria Park area at approximately 8:30 PM on Tuesday.
The suspect, a white male in his 50s, was reportedly wearing hi-vis clothing and was found to be in possession of an axe, a knife, and a hammer. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have stated that no threats were made during the incident.
While GMP has not classified the event as a terrorist incident, they are collaborating with counter-terrorism police for further investigation. The suspect is currently being held on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs. Additionally, police are seeking a second individual, a black male, who is believed to have been with the suspect but left the scene prior to the arrival of law enforcement.
Hammad Khan, chairman of the mosque, indicated that volunteers managed to keep the suspect engaged until police intervention. He described the suspect’s demeanor as “very calm” and noted that he had visited the mosque before. During the incident, the suspect reportedly shouted, “I’m not a terrorist!” as he was taken away by police.
Mr. Khan expressed the need for increased police presence at the mosque, citing the incident as “concerning,” particularly given the large number of attendees—approximately 1,500—present for Ramadan prayers at that time. The suspect was also found to have materials related to World War Two and newspaper cuttings in his possession.
No official confirmation yet regarding the motivations behind the suspect’s actions or any further developments in the investigation.