A British Muslim woman has alleged that a glass bottle was thrown at her from an army cadet base in London.
Mrs Jameela Khanom was walking home after visiting relatives on Vicarage Lane, east London, on Sunday when a glass beer bottle was thrown at her missing her by inches.
Mrs Khanom told 5 Pillarz that the bottle was thrown from the 282 East Ham Squadron Air Training Corps base on Vicarage Lane around 8pm.
The incident comes after a huge spike in Islamophobic attacks across the UK following the killing of a British soldier in Woolwich. There are also concerns that Islamophobia may be prevalent in British army ranks.
“Shock and anger”
Mrs Khanom said: “My initial feelings were shock and anger as this happened in daylight. I rang my husband after being in two minds about what to do. He told me to report it to the police and the anti-Muslim attacks monitoring organization Tell Mama.”
5 Pillarz has confirmed that there was an open day at the cadet base on Saturday which was open to all communities and faiths.
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Officer in charge, Flight Lieutenant Chris Baaty said: “We don’t operate on a Sunday and no cadets would have been operating in the base. I am speaking on behalf of the air cadets, there may have been army cadets and c-cadets present, but this in not definitive fact.
“As far as I am aware, only some admin staff, most of elderly age would have been present at base on Sunday at the time of the incident. The bottle may have been thrown from surrounding residents. We’ve had eggs and bricks thrown at us on numerous occasions. I will investigate into this matter and hope the victim recovers from her shock.”
Woolwich murder
But Mrs Khanom – who wears the niqab – felt the bottle was thrown at her for being visibly Muslim and as a backlash from the Woolwich murder. She said: “I have walked past the base on many occasions before the Woolwich murder and never has anything like this occurred.
“It is clear that Muslims aren’t safe anywhere, even in their own communities. The cadet base is situated in a heavily Muslim populated area and I am sure the bottle was thrown from the base.”
5 Pillarz can confirm that there are some residential apartments with balconies about 25 feet away from the cadet base.
The police will be interviewing Mrs Khanom tomorrow. Anyone with any information can contact the police with the crime reference number CAD 9646.
Over 200 recorded incidents of Islamophobic attacks on Muslims and mosques have taken place since the Woolwich murder 13 days ago.
