Sixth Man Arrested in Leicester Explosion: Yes, the Named Suspects are Muslim

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The mysterious explosion that destroyed a grocery store on February 25 in Leicester, UK, and killed five people brought out the predictable responses on social media.

The growing anti-Islam contingent suspected terrorism or perhaps the accidental explosion of a bomb factory. The pro-Islam crowd cried bigotry. Why not wait until all the facts are in, before tarring Muslims and our wonderful diverse city?

I assumed that it was caused by a gas leak, partly because there was little direct evidence to suggest otherwise and no terrorist claim of responsibility. Yes, sometimes fatal but accidental gas explosions still do happen, even in heavily Muslim urban areas.

Since then, the police have charged six men - three of them identified - with "manslaughter" and "arson."

They all have Muslim names - Aram Kurd, 33, Hawkar Hassan, 32, and Arkan Ali, 37 - though, curiously, one of them was the owner of the "Polish" grocery store. Interestingly, some of them are residents of other cities.

But the lack of other information given by the police has only deepened the mystery. Since the charges include manslaughter, it wouldn't appear to be terrorism. There could have been a bomb or weapons depot or factory in the store, or it might have been an insurance scam or similar.

I assume the truth will eventually come out, though given the typical M.O. of the Islam-friendly British authorities, one can count on it to emerge in dribs and drabs, perhaps mainly through non-official channels. The mainstream British media, though strongly pro-Muslim, still likes a good story.

Read the latest stories in the DailyMail, Leicester Mercury and Coventry Telegraph.