A man has been accused with trying to kill two elderly men who were set on fire after leaving mosques in the English cities of Birmingham and London.
In separate occurrences in Birmingham on Monday and Ealing, west London, on February 27, Mohammed Abbkar, 28, is said to have sprayed a liquid on the men before setting it ablaze.
Abbkr, a resident of Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England, made an appearance in court on Thursday morning, according to a statement from the West Midlands police. According to PA Media, he made no attempt to enter a plea to any charge and was therefore remanded in detention.
The man who was attacked in Birmingham on Monday was taken to hospital with serious injuries, which are not thought to be life-threatening.
“It’s believed the man, who was walking home from Dudley Road mosque, was approached by a man who spoke to him briefly before spraying him with an unknown substance and then his jacket was set alight, causing burns to his face,” West Midlands police said.
Locals in the area are being asked by police to hand over CCTV, doorbell footage or other video that could help the investigation.
Last month, an 82-year-old man suffered severe burns to his face and arms after he was attacked near an Islamic center in Ealing.