West Midlands Police said Mohammed Abbkr was alleged to have sprayed a substance on two men and set it alight in separate incidents in west London on Feb 27 and Birmingham, central England, on March 20.

In the first incident, an 82-year-old man was engaged in conversation with a man as they both left the West London Islamic Centre before he was doused in a liquid and set alight. Police said the injured man suffered burns to his face and arms.

The second man, 70, was walking home from a mosque in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham on Monday evening when he was approached by a man who sprayed him with a substance and then set his jacket alight. Police had said the man was in hospital with severe injuries.

Earlier this week, British counter-terrorism officers were called to assist the investigation.

“This was a joint investigation between West Midlands Police, Counter Terrorism Policing and the Metropolitan Police,” West Midlands Police said in a statement.