Fire attack near to mosque probed

A fire is being investigated in Bathgate amid concerns a nearby mosque was the target of revenge after Glasgow Airport's terror attack at the weekend.

It is thought the "petrol-bomb like missile", which hit an estate agent on South Bridge Street, may have been aimed at the mosque.

A first floor toilet window was broken by the missile on Sunday night.

A police spokesman said they were keeping the local Muslim community informed of their investigation.

This was a local attempt on the mosque Stuart White Century 21

Mohammed Tariq, who set up the Sarajia Islamic Studies Centre 22 years ago, said: "There was no-one in the building at the time, but we are very concerned about this.

"People have seen terrorism at Glasgow Airport and now they are looking at us and thinking we are terrorists.

"I have been answering the phone all morning to worried Muslims asking what's happening.

"Youngsters have stopped us in the street and shouted 'watch out boys, this could be another bomb."

'Wrong window'

He added: "We have nothing to do with terrorists.

"It's obviously a reprisal for the incident at Glasgow Airport. People wouldn't throw a petrol bomb at us for any other reason.

"We were lucky it was the wrong window, and the mosque was empty."

Stuart White, UK head of Century 21, the estate agent where the bomb landed inside a toilet, said: "This was a local attempt on the mosque. There is shock in the local community.

"We've got an integrated community in Bathgate. There's no tension here normally, and people have expressed their shock at what has happened."