LONDON/ BLOOMINGTON: Muslims in Europe and America are facing backlash in the wake of July 7 deadly bomb attacks on London as several mosques and Islamic centers in Britain, New Zealand and the United States were torched and news of the killings in the UK capital has been reported.

In northwest England, terrorists torched a mosque. Police said a man living in a flat above the Shahjalal Mosque, which is part of an Islamic centre in Birkenhead, was treated for smoke inhalation, but there were no other injuries.

The mosque door was burned and there was some smoke damage inside, a Merseyside police spokesman said. He declined to comment on reports that a petrol bomb was used.

Mosque chairman Abdul Munim said: "We would like to condemn wholeheartedly the incidents in London and our sympathy goes out to the families and friends of the victims … Whoever committed these acts were cowards who indiscriminately killed innocent people.”

"What happened here was a dreadful act that could have been far worse had it not been for the fast actions of the police, fire and ambulance services."

Police said they were hunting two white men in their early 20s seen in the area just before the incident.

The mosque was sealed for a forensic search and police were trawling closed circuit television tapes.

"Merseyside Police takes very seriously any incidences of this nature, which are rare within the region," said Chief Superintendent Alan Jones. "This act is both senseless and very dangerous."

Muslims arriving for morning prayers Saturday at the small Mazahirul Uloom mosque in East London were stunned to find the green carpet where they kneel to pray covered in broken glass.

"People were asking, 'Why did they do this? We didn't explode the bombs. Why did they do this to our mosque?' " Faruk Ahmed, secretary at the mosque, said as he showed off the damage Saturday afternoon.

Earlier, a mosque in Leeds was set on fire.

Meanwhile, two Sikh temples have also been attacked by arsonists in Britain.

In the United States, the FBI is investigating an apparent arson attack on an Indiana mosque early Saturday as a possible hate crime.

Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan issued a statement regarding the Mosque fire, "The person, persons responsible for this action need to understand that they've just struck a blow on behalf of terrorism. They've chosen anarchy over democracy and insulted freedom."

"At best they are sadly misguided vigilantes. At worst they're no better than those who target innocent civilians for their cause. By attacking our friends in the Muslim community, these arsonists have violated all of us," the mayor added.

Investigators from the Bloomington police and fire departments are working with FBI agents to apprehend the perpetrators.

A burned Quran was found outside the mosque.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations said someone threw a rock through a window, then poured a flammable liquid into the building and ignited it.

In New Zealand, four Islamic centers were attacked.