A 70-year-old man who was set on fire in Birmingham has been identified as Mohammed Rayaz.

He was attacked on his way back from a mosque on Monday night and has “horrendous injuries”.

Video showed him approached and spoke to a man before he was doused with an unknown substance and set on fire.

A man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder has now been arrested for a similar incident in west London last month.

Counter-terrorism police have been involved because of the similarities to the attack in Ealing on February 27. The suspect in that incident struck up a conversation with an 82-year-old man as they were both leaving an Islamic Center on Singapore Road.

Police said the couple talked for about five minutes before they doused it with liquid and set it on fire. He was taken to the hospital with severe burns to his face and arms.

A man was arrested Tuesday afternoon in connection with the Birmingham attack and was also arrested on Wednesday for the London incident.

He remains in custody on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder.

Mr Rayaz was attacked on Shenstone Road in Edgbaston as he was walking back from the Dudley Road Mosque shortly after 7pm

West Midlands Police said they would not speculate on possible motives and urged anyone with CCTV, doorbell footage or other video to get in touch.

A friend of Mr. Rayaz said he had been left with life-changing injuries.

“He has serious injuries to his upper body and also to his hands and face at the moment,” family spokesman Shahbon Hussain said.

“He can’t even open his eyes, he undergoes several skin grafts as a result of the horrifying injuries.”