Photos show fire damage to Leeds mosque and Sikh temple as police investigate hate crime arson attacks

Mosque committee secretary Amjid Hussain, centre, surveys the damage with fellow worshippers

This is the damage caused to two places of worship in Beeston after arsonists set fire to a mosque and a Sikh gurdwara in the same night.

Both crimes took place at around 4am on Tuesday morning, when the Beeston Central Mosque on Hardy Street and the nearby Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha on Lady Pit Lane were targeted.

Leeds mosque and Sikh temple targeted by arsonists on the same night

A flammable liquid was used to ignite the front doors of both buildings, which sustained minor damage. Police are linking the incidents and are treating them as hate crimes.

The mosque committee's secretary, Amjid Hussain, said the attack 'would not divide us' especially during the month of Ramadan.

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 arson 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.

“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.”