Man arrested over suspected arson at Peacehaven mosque

A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after a fire at a mosque in East Sussex.

Sussex Police said a 46-year-old man was in custody after an arrest was made on Monday afternoon.

Officers had published CCTV images of two suspects after fire crews were called to the mosque on Phyllis Avenue in Peacehaven at about 21:50 BST on Saturday.

No-one was injured in the incident but the front entrance of the building and a vehicle parked outside were damaged, according to police.

Det Ch Insp Mark Cullimore from the force’s Surrey and Sussex major crime team said the “investigation is progressing at pace” and officers were “pursuing all lines of enquiry to identify those responsible for this appalling and reckless attack”.

Sussex Police said on Sunday it was investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Two people inside the mosque at the time of the fire managed to escape through the front entrance.

Khuram Kiani, a founding member of the mosque, called it an “unfortunate, terrifying, shocking” event.

“I’ve lived here for over 30 years [and] I’ve never seen such an incident,” he told the BBC.

Mr Kiani praised the work of the emergency services for their response and said the mosque would now be closed for children until their safety could be guaranteed.

Supt Rachel Swinney from Sussex Police said there were “additional patrols taking place at places of worship across Sussex to provide visibility and reassurance”.

“We will continue to engage with our religious communities to support them and ensure their concerns are heard and acted upon,” she said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said the incident was “appalling” and that an attack on Muslims was an attack on all Britons.

A fundraiser has been set up, which the mosque says will help it to rebuild after the fire.