A man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder following incidents in London and Birmingham.

Mohammed Abbkr, 28, is alleged to have sprayed a substance on two men and set it alight in Ealing, west London, and Edgbaston in Birmingham on 27 February and 20 March, West Midlands Police (WMP) said.

He is due to appear at Coventry Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning.

Mohammed Rayaz, 70, was attacked on Shenstone Road in Edgbaston as he walked back from Dudley Road mosque shortly after 7pm on Monday.

A friend said he has “serious injuries to the upper part of the body and also his hands and his face”.

They added: “He’s not even able to open his eyes. He’s undergoing various skin grafts as well as a result of the horrific injuries.”

In Ealing, in February, a suspect began a conversation with an 82-year-old man as they both left an Islamic Centre on Singapore Road.

Police said the pair spoke for about five minutes before he was doused with fluid and set alight. He was taken to hospital with severe burns to his face and arms.

Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, from the Met Police, said: “We completely understand the shock that resonated throughout the community following this incident.

“Highly visible patrols around Singapore Road will continue in the coming days to provide reassurance to local people and I urge anyone who is concerned to approach officers.”

WMP described it as a “joint investigation between West Midlands Police, Counter Terrorism Policing and the Metropolitan Police”.

WMP are asking anyone with CCTV, doorbell footage or other video footage to get in touch.

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