Fresh Appeal over Gurdwara Attack

Police have made fresh appeal for help in identifying this man who is believed to be behind an arson attack on a Sikh temple in Bristol in which a priest was sleeping. Detectives said a man was seen to pour petrol outside the temple in Fishponds Road and set light to it in the early hours of December 10.

An image of the prime suspect was caught on a closed circuit TV camera.

He was seen buying petrol at a nearby filling station less than half an hour before the attack.




He is believed to have poured it at the door of the temple and set fire to it.

A priest was sleeping in the temple at the time but escaped unharmed.

The fire was quickly extinguished by fire crews and little damage was caused.

But police are treating the incident as a race hate crime and are determined to catch the culprit. The arson attack was recorded on the temple's CCTV camera.

Manjit Singh, general secretary of the 300-member temple, said it was the first time such an attack had been made on the building in 30 years.

He said at the time: "It was a good thing that someone called the fire brigade before the fire could take hold."

Mr Singh could not understand why anyone would want to attack the temple, one of four in Bristol.

"Sikhs are a peaceful people. We never do anything to harm this country, " he said.

He believed that the temple had possibly been mistaken for a mosque and the arsonist may have started the fire in retribution for the terrorist attacks on the London underground.

Mr Singh said: "We always condemn terrorism and attacks on people of any faith. We fought for the British in the 20th century. Sikhs made big sacrifices in the first and second world wars."

Police said that the offender was seen to go into the Esso service station on Muller Road at 3.50am on December 9 and buy petrol in a jerry can before walking off.

Then at 4.19am on December 10 the man was seen pouring petrol outside the temple and setting fire to a small area near to the front of the building.

He was white and in his mid-20s, with dark, receding hair.

He was wearing a black coat with a Stone Island motif on the arm and ripped denim jeans.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

You may remain anonymous and could receive a reward for information leading to his arrest.