Alert at Islamic buildings as white powder and threats sent to three London mosques

 

Counter-terrorism police are investigating after packages containing white powder were sent to Islamic buildings in north London.

Metropolitan Police were called to mosques and Islamic centres in Tottenham, Leyton and Finsbury Park on Thursday after concerns about the mystery packets.

They were among a handful of similar deliveries across the capital which sparked security alerts and led to parts of the parliamentary estate to be closed when peer Lord Ahmed, a Muslim, was among the recipients.

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed that police were called to Noor Ul Islam in Leyton High Road at around 12.45pm.

Two hours later, they were subsequently dispatched to Muslim Welfare House in Seven Sisters Road in Finsbury Park, and were then sent to the Masjid Ayesha Islamic community centre in Clyde Road in Tottenham at around 11.20pm.

The spokesman said: “There were exactly the same circumstances at all three mosques. Officers were stood down when it was discovered the powder was not noxious.

“The investigation is being conducted by the north-east London counter-terrorism unit.”

A worshipper in Tottenham said the package was annotated with a crossed-out drawing of a mosque, an offensive term, and the word “filth”.

Areeb Ul wrote: “A committee member from the mosque called the police after his dad felt itchy from the white powder. The police then called a bomb squad to examine the crime scene.

“Someone somewhere is trying to send the Muslim community in the UK a message.

“And, whether we like it or not, Islamophobia is real. We cannot afford to be afraid of speaking out when someone clearly wants us to do the opposite.

“We shouldn’t and will not allow our lives to be lived in fear.”