North London Muslim Community Center set on Fire

An Islamic centre in north London has been destroyed in a fire that police are treating as ‘suspicious’.

The two-storey building in Muswell Hill, which is also listed as a mosque, was left partially collapsed after the blaze engulfed the building in the early hours of this morning, causing ‘extensive damage’.

Six fire engines and around 35 firefighters were dispatched to the building which houses the Al-Rahma Islamic Centre and Somali Bravanese Welfare Association.

Several unconfirmed reports have claimed firefighters saw ‘EDL’ scrawled on the side of the building as they tackled the blaze amid fears it may have been revenge attack for the killing of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich.

‘Police were called by London Fire Brigade at 3.25am on Wednesday June 5 to reports of a fire at a community centre on Coppetts Road, N10,’ a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

‘Police, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended. No one has been reported injured at this time.

‘The cause of the fire is currently under investigation and is being treated as suspicious at this stage.’

One woman from a nearby property suffered shock and was treated at the scene, London Ambulance Service said.

Mohamed Ali, of Somali charity BritSom, said he believed the fire is linked to the Woolwich attack.

‘The place has been absolutely destroyed,’ he told the Evening Standard. ‘The community is shocked and very distressed because they have been here in peace for the past 20 years.

‘The building is a centre for the comunity, it is used as a mosque, a gathering place for Somalis to meet up and as a school for young children to learn Arabic.

‘This is shocking but it will not break the community as a whole, I would appeal to the people who did this to come and sit down with us and have a dialogue. That is the only way forward.’

Police say they will work closely with the Somali and Islamic communities to provide support and reassurance.

Borough Chief Superintendent Adrian Usher said: ‘I have spoken to community leaders and assured them that a thorough investigation is being conducted.

‘The safety of our communities is always our priority and we are consulting widely, offering our support and reassurance.

‘All communities can be confident that they have our support and I can be contacted personally to answer their concerns.’