RELIGIOUSLY-aggravated graffiti daubed at a Bradford mosque has been condemned by councillors as reprehensible.

A message reading Shia Kafir, which claims Shias are unbelievers, was daubed across the entrance to the Hussainia Islamic Mission, All Saints Road, Little Horton, some time after 3pm yesterday.

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The anti-Shia message has since been removed but has been reported to the police.

Councillor Mohammad Shabir (Lab, Heaton), who attended the scene yesterday, said: "It's completely reprehensible.

"People around the centre are very upset. It's absolutely horrendous.

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"In Bradford, we should not be accepting this. No community should be treated in such a way.

"We can't accept it. Tension should not be brought to the UK from other parts of the world. We need to be building strong communities.

"We need to be living in unity. We need to be in each other's lives as much as possible.

"Wherever we can we need to be standing together.

"It's a small minority of people doing this."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Police are investigating an incident where graffiti was sprayed on the wall of Hussainia Hall in All Saints Road, Bradford.

"This is being treated as religiously aggravated criminal damage and anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area at around the above time is asked to contact PC 4176 Metcalfe on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."

A spokesman for Bradford Council for Mosques said: "The insulting graffiti" is a despicable cowardly act on the part of a sick mind, intended to cause religious hurt to a peace loving community of Bradford.

"We however do not rule out the possibility of this being a deliberate act to cause friction and incite religious hatred amongst the ranks of the Muslim community.

"We fully stand by the Shia community and applaud the responsible manner in which their leadership has responded to this unwarranted provocation."

Anyone with any further information is urged to call PC 4176 Metcalfe on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.