A petrol bomb exploded outside a mosque in Perth as hundreds of worshippers were praying inside.
The attack occurred at the Australian Islamic College mosque at Thornlie, south-east of Perth, at about 8pm on Tuesday night.
Hundreds of worshippers were inside the mosque for the Maghrib prayers when the attack occurred.
It is understood a petrol bomb may have been placed in a parked jeep outside the mosque before it exploded.
Several other cars outside the mosque were also targeted.
Footage from the scene shows firefighters working to extinguish a fire in the parked up jeep.
Islamophobic graffiti saying “f*** Islam” was also sprayed on the mosque wall behind the burning vehicle.
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Police said four vehicles parked outside the mosque and college area were damaged in the attack.
“It is believed an accelerant was used to start the fire,” they said in a statement.
Three people were seen running down an alleyway next to the college after the explosion.
“This, undoubtedly is a criminal act of hate, but it is the act of a person or group not the greater whole,” Yahya Adel Ibrahim from the college wrote on Facebook.
“Despite what just transpired, everyone stayed to finish their prayers refusing to give into the terror that had just occurred.”
No one was injured in the attack.
