CNN
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British counter terrorism police are investigating an assault on a person who was set on fireplace whereas he was strolling house from a mosque in Birmingham, central England, on Monday.
One man has been arrested on suspicion of tried homicide and stays in custody, West Midlands police stated in an announcement Tuesday.
The sufferer was approached by a person who sprayed him “with an unknown substance” earlier than setting him ablaze, officers stated.
“It’s believed the person, who was strolling house from Dudley Highway mosque, was approached by a person who spoke to him briefly earlier than spraying him with an unknown substance after which his jacket was set alight, inflicting burns to his face,” the assertion reads.
“He was taken to hospital with critical accidents that are fortunately not believed to be life-threatening,” it added.
Safety digicam footage of the incident has been extensively shared on social media.
“We’re conscious of a video being circulated on social media displaying a person being set alight, and we’re analyzing it as a part of our investigations,” police stated.
West Midlands police Supt. James Spencer stated police “are decided to seek out out who’s accountable.”
And Chief Supt. Richard North stated police are “holding an open thoughts to the motive of the attacker,” and received’t remark additional on a attainable motive.
Additional officers have been deployed to the realm right this moment to talk to the group and to offer reassurance, police stated.
That is the second incident of its sort in England in current weeks.
On February 27, an 82-year-old man was set on fireplace shortly after leaving a mosque in Ealing, west London, in line with an announcement from London’s Metropolitan Police.
West Midlands police stated the power is “conscious of an identical incident within the Ealing space of London and we’re working with the Metropolitan Police Service to see whether or not they’re linked.”
