Police arrest second man after 'serious security incident' at mosque
#Manchester mosque #Ramadan prayers #Security incident #Police arrest #Offensive weapons #Hate crime #Religious safety
📌 Key Takeaways
- Second man arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit section 18 assault
- First suspect entered mosque with axe, knife, and hammer during Ramadan prayers
- Mosque volunteers kept the suspect talking until police arrived
- Authorities believe there is no wider threat to the community
- Mosque chairman requested increased police presence due to rise in hate mail
📖 Full Retelling
Police arrested a second man on Thursday following a 'serious security incident' at Manchester Central Mosque during Ramadan prayers, where a first suspect entered with weapons including an axe, knife and hammer on Tuesday evening. The first suspect, a man in his 50s, entered the mosque in Victoria Park area of south Manchester at around 8:40pm on Tuesday, wearing hi-vis clothing. According to mosque chairman Hammad Khan, volunteers kept the suspect talking until police arrived and noticed an axe in his bag, prompting them to usher him into an office before calling authorities. The suspect remains in custody on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs. On Thursday, Greater Manchester Police confirmed the arrest of a man in his 20s on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a section 18 assault, with Assistant Chief Constable John Webster stating the investigation has been working at pace and detectives would be conducting interviews with the second suspect.
🏷️ Themes
Security, Religious freedom, Community response
📚 Related People & Topics
Offensive weapon
Tool designed to cause physical injury
An offensive weapon is a tool made, adapted or intended for inflicting physical injury upon another person.
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Original Source
Police arrest second man after 'serious security incident' at Manchester mosque A man in his 20s was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a section 18 assault. He remains in police custody. Thursday 26 February 2026 13:00, UK Why you can trust Sky News Police have arrested a second man after a "serious security incident" at a mosque in Manchester during Ramadan prayers. The first suspect, a man in his 50s, entered Manchester Central Mosque in the Victoria Park area of south Manchester, at around 8.40pm on Tuesday evening. He was wearing hi-vis clothing and was said to have had an axe, a knife and a hammer with him. The man was arrested at the mosque and remains in custody. He is being held on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs. Greater Manchester Police had been continuing to search for a black male, who is believed to have been with the suspect but left before officers arrived. On Thursday, a GMP spokesperson said a man in his 20s had been arrested suspicion of conspiracy to commit a section 18 assault, and he remains in police custody for questioning. The force said there was no intelligence to suggest the incident posed a wider threat to the community, and officers are not looking for any further suspects. GMP's assistant chief constable John Webster said on Thursday: "Our investigation has been working at pace, leading to us making an arrest for the outstanding man this morning. Detectives will be conducting interviews with him today. "We continue to take this incident seriously and have been granted extra time by the courts to question the first man, so we can thoroughly explore all possible lines of enquiry into the circumstances." Read more from Sky News: Man who transported hundreds of illegal migrants to UK jailed Temperatures to drop after hottest day of year The chairman of the mosque said on Wednesday that volunteers had kept the suspect talking until police arrived and arrested him. Hammad Khan said the ma...
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