LONDON (AFP) - A 40-year-old man was charged with assault after an attack on an Imam inside a north London mosque, police said Sunday. The victim of the attack was hospitalised in a serious condition, they added.
London's Metropolitan Police were called to Regent's Park mosque -- also known as the Islamic Cultural Centre -- at about 8:30 am on Friday, and the imam has been at a central London hospital since.
Officers charged Ryan Donegan with committing grievous bodily harm and with assaulting a police officer. Donegan appeared before City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday, and is due to appear again before court on August 24.
The 58-year-old cleric, who has not yet been named, suffered heavy blood loss and damage to both eyes, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), an umbrella group of various Islamic organisations here, said.
According to the MCB, the assault is the latest in part of a "growing anti-Muslim climate" in Britain, a spokesman said.
"There is clearly a growing anti-Muslim climate in this country and it has some very worrying implications for all of us.
"It is deeply regrettable that sections of our media have been playing a key role in fermenting much of this Islamophobic prejudice and hatred against British Muslims."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070812/tuk-britain-crime-religion-a7ad41d_1.html
London's Metropolitan Police were called to Regent's Park mosque -- also known as the Islamic Cultural Centre -- at about 8:30 am on Friday, and the imam has been at a central London hospital since.
Officers charged Ryan Donegan with committing grievous bodily harm and with assaulting a police officer. Donegan appeared before City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday, and is due to appear again before court on August 24.
The 58-year-old cleric, who has not yet been named, suffered heavy blood loss and damage to both eyes, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), an umbrella group of various Islamic organisations here, said.
According to the MCB, the assault is the latest in part of a "growing anti-Muslim climate" in Britain, a spokesman said.
"There is clearly a growing anti-Muslim climate in this country and it has some very worrying implications for all of us.
"It is deeply regrettable that sections of our media have been playing a key role in fermenting much of this Islamophobic prejudice and hatred against British Muslims."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070812/tuk-britain-crime-religion-a7ad41d_1.html
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