Detectives have arrested a 75-year-old man after a home-made bomb was found near a mosque in Walsall on Saturday.
The man was detained on suspicion of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or damage property.
West Midlands Police said the man was arrested at his home in Walsall this afternoon by detectives from the counter-terrorism unit.
He has been taken to a police station in the West Midlands for questioning.
Officers are searching his home address as part of the investigation into the home-made explosive, the remains of which were found in an alleyway adjoining the Aisha Mosque and Islamic Centre in Rutter Street, in the Caldmore area of Walsall, last Saturday.
West Midlands Police said a loud bang heard by residents late on Friday “appeared to be consistent” with the device exploding but no-one was injured and it caused minimal damage.
Almost 40 homes close to the Mosque were evacuated after bomb disposal experts were called to the scene.
About 150 people were moved from the vicinity and kept away for several hours before being allowed back in their homes.
The item, initially described as suspicious, was found overnight on Saturday by a member of the mosque’s congregation.
Superintendent Keith Fraser, of West Midlands Police, said the incident was being treated as a hate crime.
Speaking at the scene, he said: “At around 10.15pm on Saturday, police were called to Aisha mosque in relation to a suspicious item that had been found. The force are taking this extremely seriously.”
On Monday, police revealed the package found near the mosque was a small home-made explosive device.
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