Call for more police help from Manchester mosque after ‘concerning’ axe incident

By Staff reporter
Published 25th Feb 2026, 18:43 GMT
Updated 25th Feb 2026, 18:55 GMT
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The chairman of a Manchester mosque has asked for increased police presence after what the Prime Minister called a “concerning” incident when an armed man arrived during Ramadan prayers.

Hammad Khan spoke after the arrest of a white man in his 50s, who had gone into Manchester Central Mosque wearing hi-vis and had with him an axe, knife and hammer.

Greater Manchester Police say they have not declared it a terrorist incident but are working with Counter Terrorism Police to investigate.placeholder image
Greater Manchester Police say they have not declared it a terrorist incident but are working with Counter Terrorism Police to investigate.

The suspect is being held on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs.

A second man, a black male, who is believed to have been with the suspect but left before officers arrived, is now being hunted by police.

Mr Khan said volunteers kept the suspect talking until police arrived and arrested him, where he shouted, “I’m not a terrorist!” according to one man who was present as he was taken away.

Mr Khan said the suspect was “very calm” and had been spotted visiting the mosque, in the Victoria Park area of south Manchester, before last night.

However, after entering the mosque around 8.30pm on Tuesday, where around 1,500 people were saying Ramadan prayers, an axe was spotted in his bag and he was ushered into an office by volunteers and police called.

He had a knife and a hammer on him, along with “other materials” relating to the Second World War and some newspaper cuttings.placeholder image
He had a knife and a hammer on him, along with “other materials” relating to the Second World War and some newspaper cuttings.

Mr Khan added: “His demeanour was very calm.

“He wasn’t under the influence of anything at all. I also understand he was also carrying some other materials with him relating to World War Two, also some newspaper cuttings, which the police have.

“The volunteers obviously kept the conversation going in very amenable way to ensure the situation did not escalate in any way.”

Mr Khan said he had asked police for an increased police presence around all the local mosques after an increase in hate mail and threats.