BERLIN: A man known to the police spilled petrol in front of a mosque in the south-eastern German city of Dresden on late Tuesday evening and tried to set the building on fire, a police spokesman said, reported German news agency (dpa).

The suspect, 34, was arrested and is under investigation for attempted aggravated arson. His motive was initially unclear.

The same suspect is said to have set fire to a Quran in a mosque in April.

Witnesses called the emergency services number after they saw the man spilling petrol outside the mosque, which was well attended at the time.- Bernama