Glasgow, Scotland - A GLASGOW imam has been attacked in his mosque by a white man in an incident police believe was racially motivated.
Mohammed Shamsuddin was treated at the city's Western Infirmary after he was punched and kicked by an attacker, who also hit the 53-year-old using a chair and a safe deposit box.
Police have stepped up their presence in the area in order to reassure Muslims, including Islamic students from overseas - many of whom live and worship in the mosque, near the campus of Glasgow University.
The incident comes after a suspected fire-raising attack more than a week ago on a mosque in Falkirk that caused £10,000 worth of damage.
According to witnesses, the Bangladesh-born religious leader was attacked by a white man at about 6pm on Friday evening just as worshippers headed to the mosque to break their Ramadan fast at 6.30pm.
Witnesses added that the suspect verbally abused the cleric before attacking him.
Khalid Rehman, a close family friend of the imam, said: "A man came into the mosque holding some stones and asked the imam something along the lines of why Allah permits people to be punished with stones."
Worshippers were horrified by the attack. Osama Saeed, the Scottish spokesman for the Muslim Association of Britain, said: "We're all shocked and saddened by this, and unfortunately it seems to be part of a rising trend.
"A number of students have come to me and told me that they have been attacked around the area."
Saeed accused political leaders of stoking up tension through their remarks about Islamic dress and Muslims.
He said: "In the last few months we've had a co-ordinated strategy on the part of the government to set an agenda that there are extremists throughout the Muslim community. It's little wonder that bigots on the ground are taking their lead from this."
Glasgow MSP Tommy Sheridan blamed the incident directly on comments by the Leader of the Commons Jack Straw that he preferred Muslim women constituents to remove their veils when they visited him.
Sheridan, leader of the Solidarity Party, said: "This latest attack on a respected religious leader in Glasgow is a direct result of Jack Straw's recent irresponsible and provocative statement.
"A similar statement by John Reid and the way in which Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and various other government ministers have failed to condemn them leaves me in no doubt that a concerted campaign is under way at the heart of government to isolate and demonise Muslims in our communities."
Strathclyde Police said it is treating the attack at Oakfield Avenue in the Hillhead area as racially motivated.
A spokeswoman said: "In addition to the investigation, we have stepped up our activities in the area so as to provide reassurance to the community."
A Strathclyde Police source rejected suggestions that the attack could be related to white anger over the Kriss Donald murder trial, where three Asians are accused of the murder of the Glasgow teenager. The three deny the charges.
The mosque, which was established by members of the Bangladeshi community, is near Glasgow's Great Western Road.
Police have described the suspect as being white, possibly 35-45 years old, approximately 5ft 8in, of medium build, with short greying hair, possibly curly and receding. He was wearing a blue jacket, a cream jumper and possibly jeans.
The row over the use of veils continued yesterday when a Muslim teaching assistant who has been suspended by her school denied she had refused to take off her veil in class.
Aishah Azmi insisted she had always been willing to remove the veil in front of children at Headfield Church of England junior school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire - but would not do so while male colleagues were present.
Azmi spoke out as the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, joined the ranks of people who want to see veils disappear, saying "most people" held the same view.
Livingstone's comments follow the outcry over the issue sparked by Commons Leader Jack Straw when he revealed that he asks his Muslim constituents to remove their veils in meetings.