Belfast mosque leader's worries after Nazi flags flown nearby

The leader of a Belfast mosque said that he is worried for the safety of children attending the mosque after three Nazi flags were put up nearby.

Police are treating the incident as a racially-motivated hate crime.

Three flags bearing the swastika and the symbol of the SS were erected overnight on a street in Dunmurry.

Jamal Iweida, imam and chairperson of Iqraa Mosque on the street, said the flags were noticed by parents bringing their children to a summer school.

"We feel that we have been watched by some people or some group," he said.

"And we, of course, are worried about if this will lead to further actions."

Mr Iweida said he was "disgusted" and worried "about the safety of the children".

Ch Insp Brannigan of the Police Service of Northern Ireland said that while police enquires are at an early stage, they are treating the incident as a "racially-motivated hate crime".

Members of the mosque have since removed the flags.

Riaz Dastur was among the parents bringing their children to the mosque on Wednesday morning, attending with his 13-year-old son, Raaid.

He said that upon first seeing the flags he didn't give them much thought "because there's always flags everywhere".

But when he realised the significance of the symbols, he said his mind "went to the New Zealand incident where the Muslims were killed inside the mosque a couple of years back in Christchurch".

SDLP councillor Paul Doherty said the hanging of the flags was "absolutely disgraceful".

"Solidarity to all those who worship at the Iqraa Mosque and School and praise to the many local residents who have quickly spoken out in anger against this," he said in a post on social media.

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll described the hanging of the flags as a "despicable and racially motivated action", adding that it was "clearly designed to intimidate members of a minority community".