Man is arrested and bomb squad sent in after he ‘burst into a mosque brandishing a Bible and accused worshipers of insulting Christianity
- Witnesses said the suspected entered the mosque in Derby brandishing a bible
- After accusing worshipers of ‘insulting Christianity’ he tried to flee in a van
- He crashed the van into several cars belonging to worshipers in the mosque
- Police called in the bomb squad as a precaution to examine the suspect’s van
A man brandishing a bible crashed his car moments after berating worshipers in a mosque prompting the bomb squad to examine his van.
Police evacuated residents from several streets in the Normanton area of Derby following the incident until the bomb squad declared the area safe.
Witnesses said a suspect fled the mosque in his van which he crashed into several cars belonging to worshipers.
Police called into the bomb squad to investigate the man’s car which was crashed near the mosque in the Normanton area of Derby at lunchtime yesterday
Police arrested a 43-year-old man at the scene shortly after the incident inside the mosque
The bomb squad searched this white van before the area was declared safe
Armed police arrested the 43-year-old suspect at the scene and called in the bomb squad.
One witness said: ‘A guy went into the mosque and he was just preaching about them being wrong.
‘He pulled out a bible and was waving it around, he was arguing with people there saying they were insulting Christianity.’
The eyewitness claimed the man then went outside, got into his car and tried to make off down the street.
But, in the process, he claims the man ‘crashed’ into several cars – including an Audi and a Land Rover – which belonged to worshippers in the mosque.
He said: ‘He carried on up the street then crashed into the corner, then he jumped into the passenger seat and smoked a fag.’
According to the witness, it was at that point that a police car, a van and an armed police car arrived.
The witness said the suspect was pulled from his car, pinned to the ground and then handcuffed.
Police said a 43-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of a public order offence
It was at this stage they started clearing the area while his car was examined.
According to Derbyshire police: ‘We were called to an incident in Malcolm Street, Derby, at 1.10pm.
‘At the scene a 43-year-old man was found in a car which had collided with another vehicle.
‘The man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of a public order offence.
‘A number of properties in the immediate area were then evacuated as a precaution, while a suitcase found in the car was examined by experts from the Ministry of Defence.
‘Further updates will be issued as they become available.’