'What's Perth coming to?': Burning vehicle and anti-Islam graffiti found outside Thornlie mosque

June 29 2016

• Latika Bourke

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A witness has described hearing loud bangs and seeing a burning vehicle outside a Perth mosque on Tuesday night, which was also sprayed with anti-Islam graffiti.

WA Police are seeking three men seen running down an alleyway after the blaze started, with the fire believed to have been triggered with an accelerant.

slam message is scrawled on the wall as firefighters work to contain a blaze from a burning car.

Worshippers had gathered late after fasting for Taraweeh, or evening prayers, as the Muslim community is now just eight days out from celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan. 

One was Ahmed*, who described the sudden loud noises that interrupted the prayers. 

A 4WD engulfed in flames outside the Thornlie Mosque. Photo: Supplied

"Ten minutes later we heard sirens," he said.  

Footage seen by Fairfax Media shows firefighters working to extinguish a fire in a 4WD set ablaze in front of scrawled graffiti saying "F--- Islam."  The amateur footage shakes as a pop is heard. The vision shows a police car arriving on the scene.As Ahmed, 31, and his fellow worshippers left the mosque they were greeted by the "scary" sight.

"It looked like a petrol bomb and it looked one window had been smashed, " he said.

Firefighters on the scene outside the mosque. Photo: Supplied

"I was actually pretty shaken - what's Perth coming to?" Ahmed said.

WA Police confirmed four vehicles - a Toyota Prado, a Honda Legend, a Volkswagen Passat and a Toyota Corolla - were all damaged. The Prado was gutted by the fire, which the Department of Fire and Emergency Services was required to extinguish before it spread to other vehicles.

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http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/whats-perth-coming-to-burning-vehicle-and-antiislam-graffiti-outside-perth-mosque-20160628-gpu3mr.html