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The alleged gunman behind the Quebec mosque terror attack which killed six people has been identified as police reportedly cleared the other man they arrested.

Alexandre Bissonnette, a French-Canadian, has been named as the man arrested by Canadian police following the shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre in the Sainte-Foy area last night.

Mohamed el Khadir, reportedly of Moroccan origin, had been arrested but was now said to be considered a witness, TVA reported.

Khadir was arrested near the mosque while Bissonnette was tracked down about 15 miles away, it was reported.

(Image: Twitter) (Image: FACEBOOK)

(Image: FACEBOOK)

The suspect is a resident of Quebec City and attended the University of Laval, reported French-language Radio-Canada.

Photos have been published on Canadian media of Bissonnette.

The developments follow claims Bissonnette allegedly called police and confessed because he "felt bad".

He was being hunted by when he reportedly made the call to emergency services just 20 minutes after the massacre in Quebec City.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS)

He claimed to have been one of the gunmen involved in the ambush, where six people were killed and more than a dozen were injured.

Five people are considered to be in a critical condition.

The 27-year-old man told emergency services he "felt bad" due to his alleged role in the mass shooting and was threatening to kill himself, the French-language newspaper Le Soleil reported.

At the time the man was being pursued in his grey Mitsubishi car on the Felix-Leclerc motorway.

He pulled over alongside the St Lawrence River, near the bridge to Ile d'Orleans - around 12 miles from the mosque - and surrendered to heavily-armed tactical officers after they waited for him to exit his car.

(Image: FACEBOOK) (Image: FACEBOOK) (Image: FACEBOOK)

He was armed with two weapons resembling AK-47s and at least one handgun, and there were fears the car was rigged with explosives, Le Soleil reported.

No explosives were found.

A number of raids were being carried out by police. One took place at a flat near the mosque.

Earlier, police had arrested Khadir near the mosque in the Sainte-Foy area of Quebec City.

(Image: EPA) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS)

Witnesses had said two masked gunmen had stormed the mosque just before 8pm local time and one shouted "Allahu Akbar" as they sprayed bullets at worshippers during Sunday night prayers.

Around 50 people were inside the building at the time, including children as young as three.

A witness who was nearly shot described the chaos, telling French-language Radio-Canada: "They started to fire, and as they shot they yelled, 'Allahu Akbar'. The bullets hit people that were praying.

(Image: REUTERS)

"People who were praying lost their lives. A bullet passed right over my head.

"There were even kids. There was even a three-year-old who was with his father."

The victims were aged from around 35 to 70.

Following the two arrests police said they do not believe there are additional suspects, and it was too early to determine any motive for the violence.

The attack occurred in the men's section of the mosque, while women and more children were upstairs.

It was condemned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "a terrorist attack on Muslims".

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(Image: AFP) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: EPA)

Sgt. Christine Coulombe of Surete du Quebec, the provincial police force, said 39 people escaped the mosque unharmed.

Five of the wounded were in a critical condition in hospital, while at least 12 others suffered minor injuries.

The mosque's president, Mohamed Yangui, who was not inside when the shooting occurred, said he got frantic calls from people at evening prayers.

He said: "Why is this happening here? This is barbaric."

He told Canadian media that the mosque had not received any threats recently.

Trudeau offered his condolences to the shooting victims and their families, saying he reacted with "tremendous shock, sadness and anger".

(Image: AFP) (Image: AFP) (Image: Splash News) (Image: REUTERS)

He added: "We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge.

"While authorities are still investigating and details continue to be confirmed, it is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence.

"Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear.

"Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country.

"Canadian law enforcement agencies will protect the rights of all Canadians, and will make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators of this act and all acts of intolerance."

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard condemned the attack and urged Quebecers to unite against violence and stand in solidarity with the Muslim community.

He told reporters: "It's a murderous act directed at a specific community."

(Image: REUTERS)

Solidarity rallies were due to take place across Quebec on Monday.

Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume, who appeared at a news conference with Couillard, fought back tears, saying: "To the Muslim community, our neighbours, our co-citizens, who count on our support and solidarity, I want to say, 'we love you'."

The National Council of Canadian Muslims condemned the attack, saying Islamophobia is on the rise in Canada.

Ihsaan Gardee, the organisation's executive director, said: "The fact that the attack was on a mosque strongly suggests that this was a hate crime and an act of terrorism.

"This is the nightmare scenario that Canadian Muslims have been dreading."

The NCCM said there are "legitimate fears" that US President Donald Trump's so-called "Muslim ban" will lead to more hate and acts of violence.

A number of incidents of Islamophobia have been reported in Quebec in recent years.

(Image: Facebook/Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec) (Image: Facebook/Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec)

In June last year, a pig's head was left on the doorstep of the same mosque. It was wrapped in paper with a note reading "Bonne [sic] appetit".

A few weeks later a letter reading "What is the most serious: a pig's head or a genocide" was distributed in the neighbourhood.

On Saturday, Trudeau made a forceful attack on Trump's recent ban on refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.

He made it clear Canada would continue to welcome immigrants.

Trudeau tweeted: "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength".

In response to Sunday night's attack, police in cities such as Montreal and New York stationed officers around mosques to provide additional protection as a precaution.