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Armed police called to Cathays mosque as teenagers ‘break in with knives’

Two men aged 18 and 19 were arrested following the incident


Two men from the Cardiff area have been arrested by armed police after allegedly forcing their way into a mosque in Cathays with knives.

The Muslim Council of Wales have said no one was harmed in the incident, which took place at 1.23am on Sunday morning at the Dar Ul Isra community centre on Wyverne Road.

The men were aged 18 and 19. South Wales police have said they are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

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Credit: Yusuf Khan

Yusuf Khan, an MA News Journalism student at Cardiff University witnessed the incident. He told the Cardiff Tab: "I was walking from the SU and walked past the mosque and saw about four or five police cars and two officers were carrying a man from the mosque into one of the police vans.

"There were quite a few officers in full riot gear with guns but they were quite calm. When I asked around they said no one was hurt thankfully but it was all very up in the air at the time."

South Wales police have said the incident is being treated as separate to a murder that took place just streets away at Cathays rail station, where a different 18 and 19 year-old were also arrested.

It is currently the holy month of Ramadan, and worshippers commonly gather in Mosques at night to break the day's fast.

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Credit: Yusuf Khan

In a joint statement with the Muslim Council of Wales, the Mosque said:

"An incident took place at 1:30am on Sunday 2nd June at Dar Ul Isra community centre in Cardiff.

"Nobody from the mosque was injured and the police have arrested the two individuals who were involved.

"The police are now dealing this situation and continuing their investigations.

"We thank South Wales Police for their swift response."