Police are investigating after two men were injured in a hit and run incident outside a mosque in Birmingham.
The victims, who are both in their 20s, were hit by a silver car as they stood outside the Shah Jalal mosque in Aston. One was said to have suffered a head injury while the other was described by West Midlands police as walking wounded.
West Midlands police said they had not ruled out the possibility that the incident could be terrorism-related. They are trying to trace the driver of the car who did not stop at the scene.
Officers were called to Ettington Road at 2.15pm, after the Friday congregational prayers.
Witnesses said the two victims were left covered in blood, with one of the men being knocked on to the bonnet of a parked car, which police have covered with a blue forensic tent.
A worshipper who was attending Friday prayers, who declined to give his name, told Press Association: It was shocking to see the guys afterwards. It was like something out of a movie and it was really, really shocking.
Community activist Desmond Jaddoo urged people not to speculate about the motive for the incident as rumours mounted that it may be linked to a dispute between groups of youths.
He said: It’s concerning what’s happened today. Two young men have been injured quite badly and it’s caused a lot of tension within the local community at present. Clearly there is a need for calm.
The police need to be allowed to conduct their investigations and personally I would urge anyone who knows anything about what has happened to contact the police.
DI Greg Evans of West Midlands CID said: The investigation is at an early stage and we’re still trying to establish exactly what has happened. We have not ruled in or out the potential that this could be terror-related but we’re keeping an open mind until we have investigated further.
I’d really like to hear from anyone who has any information or CCTV of the incident or who may have dashcam footage.