Irish Muslim Council 'alarmed' at growing Islamophobia

The Irish Muslim Council says it is "deeply alarmed" at growing levels of Islamophobia across the country.

It made the remarks following an arson attack on a mosque in Co Limerick, which gardaí are continuing to investigate.

The centre, which is located in Dooradoyle, serves the Muslim community in Limerick.

Emergency services attended the scene at around 1.30am yesterday morning and it took three units of Limerick Fire Service over half an hour to bring the blaze under control.

Gardaí said they received a report of an incident of "criminal damage by fire that occurred at a premises in the Dooradoyle area".

While nobody was injured, the incident is said to have left the Muslim community in the city feeling devastated and insecure.

CCTV from the scene shows a person approaching the rear of the property before breaking a window and placing what is thought to be an accelerant into the building.

A bathroom area was ruined by the resultant blaze, while some adjoining rooms have smoke damage.

In a statement this afternoon, the Muslim Council’s Chairperson, Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, said an attack on any place of worship was an attack on the fundamental values of peace, respect, and coexistence that define Irish society.

He said acts of hostility and intimidation not only target one community but undermine the inclusive and democratic principles upon which Ireland is built.

The council has called on the Government to strengthen protections for all places of worship, "not only mosques, but churches, synagogues, temples, and every sacred space across the country".

Fianna Fáil councillor Abul Kalam Azad Talukder, the first Muslim local representative in Limerick, condemned the arson attack saying it has left the community feeling insecure.

"Dooradoyle is a longstanding peaceful area, incidents like this are rarely heard of," he said.

"That's what makes this so shocking and devastating for both the Muslim community and Limerick as a whole.

"We don't know whether this was a case of organised crime or racial hate, but this kind of behaviour is very uncommon in Limerick.

"I know from experience that the majority of people in Limerick do not stand by these actions."

Additional reporting Barry Gallagher