(CNN)Counter-terrorism police have launched an investigation after five mosques in the British city of Birmingham were attacked on Thursday.
West Midlands Police first responded to reports of a man smashing the windows of a mosque in the north of the central English city with a sledgehammer at 2:32 a.m. When officers arrived at the scene they discovered the attack had taken place some time earlier.
In less than an hour, police were subsequently called to reports of a similar attack on a mosque nearby, and officers then began patrols around two other places of worship, where they discovered further damage.
