Man, 55, is charged with possession of an offensive weapon after suspect armed with axe walked into Manchester mosque during Ramadan

A 55-year-old suspect has been charged after a man with an axe walked into a mosque in Manchester during Ramadan.Darren Connor is accused of possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs after reports of a man armed with an axe entering Manchester Central Mosque during Ramadan prayers on Tuesday, Greater Manchester Police said.The force said a white British man was charged and is due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court.A second man, in his 20s, who was arrested in connection with the incident, will face no further action, the force added.Greater Manchester Police previously said there was no intelligence to suggest the incident posed a wider threat to the community and officers were not looking for any more suspects.Counter-terror officers were involved in investigating the incident, after security staff at the mosque spotted a man holding a suspicious bag during a congregation and challenged him.Hundreds of worshippers were in the building at the time, it was reported. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said in response to the incident: 'I am concerned to hear of the incident at Manchester Central Mosque last night. A suspect has been charged after a man 'armed with an axe' walked into Manchester Central Mosque (pictured) on Tuesday'I know this will be worrying for Muslim communities, especially during Ramadan, a time of peace and reflection.'My thanks go to the volunteers and emergency services for their quick response.'Assistant Chief Constable John Webster said: 'We continue to take this incident seriously.'We know this has been a concerning time for many of our communities, and we remain committed to acting on any concerns reported to us. You can do this by contacting us on 101 or via the LiveChat function on the GMP website.'Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always dial 999 in an emergency.'Patrols in the area have been stepped up in response to the incident, police said. The mosque's chair Hammad Khan said: 'We were all praying inside and some of the volunteers and security were outside the mosque. Hammad Khan, chairman of the mosque, said worshippers had been 'very, very fortunate''The volunteers spotted a white male coming in with a high-vis jacket and a big bag that seemed like something was sticking out of it, which we later found was a big axe.'We are very, very fortunate the volunteers spotted the bag and the handle, not knowing it contained an axe.' Share or comment on this article: Man, 55, is charged with possession of an offensive weapon after suspect armed with axe walked into Manchester mosque during Ramadan

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