Second man arrested following Braintree mosque arson
Categories: Latest News
Friday March 31 2017
Local paper Essex Chronicle reports that police have arrested a second man in connection with the attempted arson of the Al Falah Braintree Islamic Centre earlier this year.
The two suspects allegedly set a rubbish bag alight before throwing it onto the mosque’s corrugated roof, causing the flames to spread and leaving a hole in the roof.
The paper reports that the attack occurred at around 2.48am on January 8 2017 with the two attackers leaving the site at around 2.50am.
The fire was stopped by Faheem Akbar, a local cab driver who arrived at the mosque roughly 20 minutes later after finishing his shift. Mr Akbar, 30, re-filled a bucket several times to quell the fire.
A 21-year-old man from Braintree was arrested on 13 January on suspicion of arson endangering life, with the second man, a 49-year-old also from Braintree, arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage.
The men have been bailed and are due to return on 9 April.