Mohamed Mansur and Rahma Sani outside the Mosque
Liverpool Echo
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
Abandoned suitcase sparked security alert and controlled explosions on Sunday night.
A man arrested after a suitcase was left at Liverpool’s main mosque
is actually Somalian and not Danish, as police previously stated.
Merseyside
Police have just confirmed that the 22-year-old man, who was cautioned
and released following the incident, is in fact from Somalia not
Denmark.
Two controlled explosions were carried out after the
suspect package – feared to be a bomb – was left at the Al Rahma mosque,
in Mulgrave Street, Toxteth on Sunday evening.
The bomb squad outside the mosque on Mulgrave Road in Toxteth
Police held a meeting with faith leaders yesterday to update
them on the investigation, and announced this morning a 22-year-old who
had been arrested was spoken to about his behaviour before being
cautioned.Officers had taken away CCTV footage which showed the moment a man turned up at the mosque saying he wanted to become a Muslim.
Suspicions
were aroused when, after spending about 15 minutes inside the building,
he abruptly ran off, leaving a metal suitcase on the premises.
One quick-thinking worshipper dragged the suitcase out while the police were called.
Army bomb disposal experts then arrived to carry out a controlled explosion.
The bomb squad outside the mosque on Mulgrave Road in Toxteth
Police confirmed that no explosive materials were found at the scene.The Al Rahma mosque serves as the main place of worship and focus point for Liverpool’s 25,000-strong Muslim community.
Some mosque leaders said they feared the incident was aimed at stirring up hatred in the community.
They
also revealed the mosque had received a string of malicious phone calls
in the aftermath of the death of Drummer Lee Rigby, who was killed in
Woolwich in May.
Mosque administrator Mohamed Mansur said: “While no direct threats were made, the calls were insulting to the Muslim community.”
He
said he was not aware of similar occurrences at any of the smaller
mosques in the city, adding: “When someone wants to target something,
they target the big ones.”
General secretary of the Liverpool
Muslim Society based in the mosque, Rahma Sani, said she believed it was
some kind of prank or hoax.
She said: “I think it was someone just being stupid and ignorant wanting to arouse the community and add to the tension.”
Police said the investigation to establish the full circumstances of the incident was still ongoing.
Detective
Inspector Lisa Mahon said: “I would like to reassure the local
community that there is no evidence that this item was left at this
location to cause alarm or distress.”