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Man charged for alleged threats made at London Muslim Mosque

FILE - London Muslim Mosque, seen here in April 2015. Google Maps

A 24-year-old London man is facing multiple charges after allegedly threatening to shoot people inside the London Muslim Mosque over the weekend, London police said Monday.

Police responded to the mosque at 151 Oxford St. W. near Wharncliffe Road around 1:40 p.m. Sunday. Authorities directed parishioners to lock the doors and officers arrived at the scene soon after, taking a man into custody without incident, police said.

As a result of the investigation, Omid Ghaffouri, 24, has been charged with uttering threats of death or bodily harm, disturbing religious worship or certain meetings, and failing to leave premises when directed, police said.

“There is no information to suggest that this incident was hate [or] racially motivated,” police said, adding no injuries were reported, and no firearm was found.
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In a statement posted to Facebook on Sunday, the London Muslim Mosque said a man had entered the mosque during prayer service looking for food and assistance. After being given some food, the man “persisted in his asks,” according to the mosque.

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“During a verbal confrontation the situation escalated and he made threats to those present,” read the statement.

“At this time, the London Muslim Mosque is not treating this as hate motivated and believes there is no ongoing threat to the Mosque.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the London Police Service at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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