HAMMER attacks on five mosques have left Muslims in Birmingham fearing a New Zealand-style terror attack today.

CCTV from two of the five Islamic centres shows thugs smashing windows last night – less than a week after a Far Right gunman shot 50 worshippers dead at two mosques in Christchurch.

12 Thugs targeted five mosques within two miles of each other overnight

12 Witton Islamic Centre was one five mosques targeted this morning Credit: BPM Media

12 Thugs smashed right through the double glazing on a sick rampage through Birmingham Credit: BPM Media

12 Muhammad Rzaq and General Secretery Naib Hussein outside Mosque and Muslim Community Centre Aston Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

Thugs targeted the Witton Islamic Centre, the Masjid Faizul Islam, the Jam-E-Masjid, Muslim Community Centre Aston and Al-Habib Masjid – all within two miles of each other in Britain’s second city – overnight.

Security footage shows a shadowy figure bashing in the window at one mosque as glass is shattered in a video from another.

FRIDAY PRAYER FEARS

Naib Hussain, Secretary of Mosque and Muslim Community Centre in Aston, told The Sun Online: “With Friday prayers we’re fearful - we have up to 400 people at our mosque an up to 100 children.

"If there was to be a copycat New Zealand style attack it could be even worse. We need protection from our police officers.”

Mr Hussain said police and local councillors were hoping to hold a meeting tonight to reassure local residents and worshippers.

“Our community is very worried and shocked and in the aftermath of the bloodshed in New Zealand I’m telling them ‘Beware, be careful," he said.

"What happened here overnight is horrifying and appalling. The Government and police are fully supportive of the Muslim community and we ask them to do everything they can, everything in their power to help protect us."

Our community is very worried and shocked and in the aftermath of the bloodshed in New Zealand I’m telling them ‘Beware, be careful' Naib Hussain, Secretary of Mosque and Muslim Community Centre in Aston

The father-of-six continued: “Police have vowed to catch the culprits, it’s got to stop but I don’t think it will yet. It’s not going to stop in Birmingham, it will spread to cities across England.”

Prayers continued as normal today in the affected West Midlands mosques with broken windows either boarded up or left damaged.

Cops were first called at 2.32am to reports of a man smashing windows with a sledgehammer at Al-Habib on Birchfield Road before being alerted 45 minutes later to a similar attack at Jam-E-Masjid.

On patrolling the area police soon discovered damage at two other centres, and were alerted about a fifth at 10am this morning.

Horrifying footage obtained by ITV appears to show a hooded man carrying a heavy bag down an empty road before he smashes something against a wall and sprints away into the night.

The clip was filmed in Broadway in Perry Barr, where thugs had also smashed the windows of Masjid Faizul Islam.

12 Windows were boarded up at Witton Islamic Centre this morning, one of five places of worship to be targeted by thugs Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

12 Terror cops are investigation after a series of mosques in Birmingham were targeted days after the Christchurch massacre Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

12 Windows were being boarded up at Jam-E-Masjid in Erdington today, one of the five mosques to be targeted Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

'WE STAND TOGETHER'

Khalid Mahmood, President of Jam-E-Masjid, said he arrived at the mosque within ten minutes of the police calling him at 3.15am this morning.

"Someone had obviously smashed the windows with a massive hammer or big tool," he told The Sun Online.

"They didn't try to get in - I think they were just to trying to intimidate us."

Mr Mahmood said the windows had since been boarded up until they get fixed, but he was adamant that the mosque would remain open.

"Those people won't stop us," he said.

"We will stay open regardless of what people have in their minds. We'll carry on with our daily lives."

The 60-year-old said he had called police to boost security on the day of the Christchurch attack.

He added: "In general we live in a very decent, very good community of all faiths. We stand together."

At difficult times like this, it is incredibly important that everyone unites against those who seek to create discord, uncertainty and fear in our communities West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson

Sharafat Ali, the Imam of Witton Islamic Centre, told Birmingham Live that around seven windows and two doors were smashed between 1.30am and 2am this morning.

"It's terrible, the community is shocked because of what’s happened in New Zealand," he said.

"We’ve been here for 30 years. In the morning you get 40 worshippers for morning prayer, on Friday you get about two to three hundred.

"This doesn’t happen in Aston.

"Tomorrow is Friday prayers and I don’t know what’s going up happen. We are asking the police to give us more security.”

HATE CRIMES RIFE

The motive behind the attacks, which are being treated as linked, is yet to be established but West Midlands Police and the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit are investigating.

Chief Constable Dave Thompson said: "Since the tragic events in Christchurch, New Zealand, officers and staff from West Midlands Police have been working closely with our faith partners across the region to offer reassurance and support at mosques, churches and places of prayer.

"At the moment we don’t know the motive for last night’s attacks.

"At difficult times like this, it is incredibly important that everyone unites against those who seek to create discord, uncertainty and fear in our communities.”

Home Secretary Sajid Javid earlier condemned the "deeply concerning and distressing" attacks, adding that hateful behaviour has "absolutely no place" in our society.

A string of hate crimes have been reported since the Christchurch massacre, leaving Britain's Muslim community deeply shaken.

On Saturday a 50-year-old man was arrested in Surrey for attempted murder in relation to terror. Further incidences were reported in London, Oxford, Oldham and Rochdale.

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Online abuse has also been rife, with seven trolls arrested in Greater Manchester over sick social media posts following the New Zealand attack. A man in Wales was also arrested over a similar offence.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with one count of murder in relation to the Christchurch attack and is expected to face a "bundle" of new charges.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact police via Live Chat between 8am and midnight, via 101 any time, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

12 Footage obtained by ITV appears to show a man walking through Birmingham before smashing the windows of a mosque Credit: ITV

12 The clip shows a man apparently attacking a building on the street where Masjid Faizul Islam was discovered vandalised earlier today Credit: ITV

12 Masjid Faizul Islam was also targeted in a similar attack Credit: Google

12 Cllr Majid Mahmood posted a video showing smashed windows at the Witton Road Islamic Centre Credit: Twitter

12 Mosque and Muslim Community Centre Aston was the fifth mosque to be targeted Credit: Google

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