CCTV footage has revealed the horrifying moment the family home of an imam in Bolton was targeted in a firebomb attack. The incident occurred on Eastgrove Avenue in the Sharples area on Wednesday evening.
The video shows a male wearing a helmet and dark clothing running onto the driveway before a blaze erupts. Imam Hassan Patel, 42, lives at the property with his wife, four young children, and his nephew. He was not at home at the time but expressed his shock.
Mr Patel serves as the principal for Islamic Education at the Taiyabah Masjid mosque on Blackburn Road and is an imam at Masjid e Aish on Seymour Road. He confirmed that police are investigating the attack.
Speaking about the incident, Mr Patel said: "I am shaken by it all really, and the children are shaken. It is a quiet community. We have not had any issues before. Everybody is concerned. They are asking why this has happened. The police are investigating. We want to thank everybody who has sent messages. We really appreciate the community coming together."
No injuries were reported from the blaze, which occurred shortly after 9pm. In the footage, the attacker appears to hold a bag in one hand and another item in the other, from which he pours liquid. The item then bursts into flames on the driveway. He throws the burning item toward the front of the home and smashes a window. More liquid is poured onto the fire, which spreads to the front of the property. The male then grabs his backpack and flees.
Family Traumatized
Mr Patel's son, Umair Yusuf, 19, described how the fire was quickly extinguished by his younger brother using buckets of water and a hose pipe. Umair said: "My mother, two brothers and sister, and my cousin were in the house. The neighbours reported that there were two individuals dressed all in black driving up and down the street on a motorbike. One of my brothers was outside at the time. He saw them and they looked at him. We feel that it was racially motivated. We feel that it was targeted to this house. One person stays on the motorbike and the other intentionally walks up and calmly did what he did. He knew exactly what he was doing."
He added: "My younger brother heard a noise and the smashing of windows. He quickly got a hosepipe and brought it outside. He was screaming. He put the fire out from the outside as my brother, cousin and mother put the fire out with buckets of water. The immediate threat of the house being burnt down was put out before the fire service came."
Neighbours came out to support the family. Umair said: "We are all traumatised and so are the local community. The police have said they are investigating at the moment. My father is very well respected by a lot of people in the community. There were a lot of people here in solidarity with us. The community is very close. It is like one big family and they showed us that yesterday when we were all standing together. It could have been a whole lot worse. If it had happened at night and we were all sleeping, who knows what might have happened."
Greater Manchester Police and the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have been contacted for comment.
