"Several incidents of hate crime including four arson attacks on mosques have been reported in an apparent backlash on Asians over Thursday's deadly terrorist bombings in London. Mosques in Leeds, Belvedere, Telford and Birkenhead were the targets of arson attacks following the deadly blasts in the London underground and a bus that had killed at least 50 and injured hundreds. Three further attacks were reported on mosques in east London and Bristol.

"A number of incidents of hate crime and racially and religiously motivated offences had occured, senior police spokesman Commander Brian Paddick said. 'We have had a number of incidents of hate crime, racially and religiously motivated offences, and we take these types of offences very, very seriously,' he told reporters."