British police investigate blast outside mosque as terrorist incidentJuly 12, 2013 - 21:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - British police said on Friday, July 12, they were treating a blast outside a mosque in central England as a terrorist incident, saying nails had reportedly been found at the scene, according to Reuters. West Midlands police said they were alerted to reports of a loud bang in Tipton near Birmingham shortly after 1 pm. No injuries were reported, but the immediate area was evacuated. "An investigation is being led by the West Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit and it is being treated as a terrorist incident," police said in a statement. "Some residents have reported finding debris in the area and finding nails. This is being investigated by forensic officers at the scene." The incident came on the same day as the funeral of soldier Lee Rigby, whose murder on a south London street in May stoked community tensions. Two suspects, both British Muslims, face a murder trial in November. Since Rigby's killing, the English Defence League (EDL), a right-wing group which vociferously opposes Islamism, has staged protests at which its supporters chanted slogans such as "Muslim killers off our streets". A mosque was burned down in London shortly after the killing and "EDL" scrawled on the side of the building, but it was unclear who caused the fire. Police have said there has been a rise in the number of attacks on Muslims since Rigby's death, despite politicians and religious leaders appealing for calm. Birmingham is home to a large Muslim population and last month a number of men from the city were jailed for plotting to attack an EDL rally using a homemade nail bomb. The EDL is planning to hold rally in Birmingham next week, describing the city as a hotbed of Islamic extremism. "We do not want to drive Muslims out of Birmingham, nor do we want to eradicate Muslim culture from the area," the group said on its website. "Muslims however, seek to impose their own set of laws and belief systems on the people of England, while showing contempt for British law and democracy. Our government does nothing, aside from funding their entire operation." Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |