LONDON –Muslims woke up on Wednesday to the horrible news of a car attack outside a London mosque which led to the injury of three people by a driver who was “shouting anti-Islamic taunts.”

The Hussaini Association, which had organized a lecture at the Islamic center in Cricklewood near Edgware Road, described it as a “suspected premeditated Islamophobic attack,” adding that the driver and passengers were heard “shouting anti-Islamic taunts at the crowd”.

“We are in deep shock at such an attack taking place on our community but remain proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society,” a spokesman for The Hussaini Association said in a statement cited by The Telegraph.

Hassan Naddi, the mosque head of security, said he heard taunts of “dirty Muslims” from the car.

In a statement posted on social media, The Hussaini Association, said: “Patrons attending the annual Al Hussaini Majlis in Cricklewood were indiscriminately mown down in a suspected premeditated Islamophobic attack last night.”

The group said a red Nissan Juke “swerved into innocent bystanders, hitting at least five people of which three were seriously injured”.

“They were heard shouting anti-Islamic taunts at the crowd before they started their attack.  Fortunately, a number of volunteers bravely stood between the speeding vehicle and patrons heading home.

“These acts of bravery potentially saved the lives of dozens of innocent people from being taken.”

Miqdaad Versi, a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, confirmed eyewitnesses had reported hearing “anti-Islamic” slogans shouted during the incident outside the Hussaini Association community centre.

Tell Mama, which measures anti-Muslim incidents in Britain, warned in July that street attacks targeting UK Muslims have soared over the past year.

The group recorded a 30 percent rise in street incidents and a 16 percent rise in 2017, taking the number of verified reports to a record of 1,201.

The Metropolitan Police said that they are not treating the attack as terrorist-related.