Teenager charged after Aberdeen mosque vandalised

A teenager has been charged after an Aberdeen mosque was vandalised while worshippers were inside.

Paint was thrown at the door of the building in the Spital area of the city on Saturday evening, and a window was smashed.

Police Scotland said they were treating the incident as a "hate crime".

"Following an investigation into reports of vandalism at a mosque in Spital, Aberdeen, officers have arrested and charged a 17-year-old male," a statement said.

It added: "The male has been released on an undertaking and will appear at court at a later date."

Naveed Mohammed, chairman of the Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre, said the community was shocked by what had happened.

He thanked neighbours who helped with the clean-up and sent messages of support.

"We've not had anything like this while I've been here for the last 18 years," he told BBC Scotland News.

"It's a very unique city, Aberdeen," he explained. "It's a very diverse community, lots of cultures, lots of communities all accept each other and we all live happily. It was just a bit of a shock and surprise.

"When the congregation started cleaning up, the local community came out and helped clean the mess.

"It's a big thank you to the community. It shows a good community spirit. We will try and clean up what we can and it will just be history really."

He added: "There's a little bit of anxiety but hopefully this is just an isolated case and we'll be able to put it behind us."