The letter was sent to Masjid Ramadan (pictured) and Aziziye Mosque. (Picture: Google/Twitter)

Nadine Osman and Ahmed J Versi

Two Turkish community mosques in East London received a hate-filled letter on February 15, expressing disappointment that more Muslims did not perish in the earthquake that struck Syria and Türkiye earlier this month.

Many Turkish and Syrian residents in London lost friends and family members in the February 6 earthquake.

Over 46,000 people were killed in the disaster, with thousands more still unaccounted for. Turkish community centres and mosques, such as Masjid Ramadan on Shacklewell Lane in Hackney, have been collecting and organising aid for the affected area.

The mosque’s Chair, Erkin Ramadan Güney, told The Muslim News, “I am very upset, very disappointed, and very emotionally attacked by the content of the letter.”

“We can only make du’a [prayer] for this person. We pray that his anger is reduced. He needs to be educated.”
He added, “We just received a letter today in the mail, and it’s very disturbing.As a Muslim and as a Turkish Cypriot, I can only pray for the person who sent it because they need help.”

Güney initially thought it was a letter of condolences when he read the first line, which reads: ‘This heartfelt letter is to express my sincerest sorrow about the events in Turkey and Syria.’

However, as he read on, he quickly realised it was anything but. ‘I wish to make it clear that I do not feel heartfelt sorrow that thousands of people died,” the letter continues.

“I’m only sincerely sorry that more Muslims didn’t die.’
The person who sent the letter goes on to say the death toll was “nowhere near enough” and that they had hoped there would be “two million dead at the very minimum.” They also express their hope that the earthquake “will be one of many more to come.”

The letter adds: ‘It is extremely comforting to know that many of your pointedly bearded attendees will undoubtedly have lost many family members following the earthquake. This has got to be the best news anyone who hates Muslims as much as I could hear about. It’s simply fantastic!’

The same letter was also sent to Aziziye Mosque in Newington Road, the largest Turkish mosque in London.
Senior Imam Ebu Bekir Tezgel told The Muslim News the letter was “disgusting, disgraceful, and despicable.” adding, “I can’t find a word to describe it. This is unacceptable.

The person says more Muslims should have died. We are collecting aid for all people in Türkiye and Syria: Muslims, Christians, Jews, and atheists. We do not differentiate between people based on their beliefs. The letter is full of disgusting writing.

He said he has given the letter to the police, who are investigating.

In a statement to The Muslim News a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed that, “On 15 February, police received a report of a letter sent to two mosques in Hackney containing racist and Islamophobic language and that enquiries are ongoing. There have been no arrests at this stage.”