The West Midlands Police have reported that Mohammed Abbkr, 28, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after he doused two people in fluid and set it on fire outside mosques in London and Birmingham.
The most recent attack took place on Monday, when Mohammed Rayaz, 70, was lit on fire as he was walking home from Dudley Road Mosque Birmingham, according to the Daily Mail. Rayaz is reported to still be in the hospital with serious burns.
Abbkr is reportedly from Sudan, and he is set to appear before a Crown court on April 20.
There was some speculation after the incidents that the violence was a result of Islamophobia, but a motive for the two attacks have not yet been reported.
The attack happened just three weeks after a similar incident took place in Ealing, 120 miles away from where Rayaz was attacked. In Ealing, an 82-year-old was set aflame outside the West London Islamic Centre, according to the report.
Abbkr has been charged with two counts of attempted murder following the two incidents.
A spokesman for the West Midlands Police said: “We continue to ask anyone with CCTV, ring doorbell footage or video footage that could help our investigation to send this to us directly.”
“This was a joint investigation between West Midlands Police, Counter Terrorism Policing and the Metropolitan Police.”
Tayyab Riaz, Rayaz’s nephew, said: “For 35 years he’s been going to that mosque to pray and there’s never been a problem. Suddenly this happens.”
“His hair, beard and eyebrows are badly burnt. We're praying he's OK.”
Another of Rayaz’s nephews, Hamza, shared: “I’ve been to visit him and he looks in a very bad way.”
“He's not able to speak much and can't see anything at all. He's wrapped up in a lot of bandages and we are just praying that he recovers and that there [are] no long-lasting effects from this horrible attack.”
“We don't want to reveal the name of the hospital where he's being treated but my uncle is in the intensive care unit and is being well looked after. We're all praying for him.”
The Daily Mail reported that a source at the mosque said that Rayaz has two children and a wife.
They said: “I don't think he works as he prays at the mosque five times a day. He is critically ill and can't open one of his eyes”
“People in the houses heard him screaming and came out to help, calling 999... but there were people in cars who just drove past without even stopping.”
Rayaz's family reportedly said that he has remained in serious but stable condition following a skin graft procedure.
