Asylum seekers' home petrol bombed

The petrol bomb missed the front door of the house

The home of a group of asylum seekers in Coventry has been petrol bombed.

The incident happened just after 2000 GMT on Tuesday at a house in the Hillfields area of the city.

A litre bottle of petrol stuffed with a burning rag was thrown at the house.

All of the people living there are from the Kosovo-Albania border.

He heard a noise and thought it was a bomb or something

Algon Luli

Algon Luli, one of the asylum seekers living at the house, said it was a frightening experience for his house mate who heard the attack.

"He heard a noise and thought it was a bomb or something."

Danny Moynihan, from West Midlands Fire Service, said the police are now investigating.

"One of the asylum seekers, a young lad, was in the bedroom on the ground floor and heard a bang and saw the curtains light up", he said.

"He looked outside and saw the bottom of the house was on fire. The occupants managed to exit the house and stamp out the fire before calling the fire brigade."

Many refugees are sent to the city because of the large amount of cheap, available housing.

It is estimated as many 7,000 are living in the Coventry.

Rising tension

Penny Walker, from the Coventry Refugee Centre, said: "I have to say (I was) not very surprised.

"Tensions have been rising for a long time because of the government's stance which reinforces the idea that we don't want any asylum seekers here.

"The war on Iraq... means people are frightened of anybody that isn't white, British", she added.

"All of these things are coming together and causing a lot of tension."