British imams refuse to perform burial rites for London and Manchester attackers

More than 130 imams across the United Kingdom have refused to perform funeral rites for the suspects of the terrorist attacks in Manchester and London.

CBS News reported that Muslim leaders from both Sunni and Shia sects have refused to perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer for the attackers, even though the ritual is normally conducted for every Muslim, regardless of their actions.

The leaders, who called on other imams to follow suit, stated on Monday that the decision was prompted by the suffering of the victims of Saturday's attacks.

"We are deeply hurt that a spate of terror attacks have been committed in our country once more by murderers who seek to gain religious legitimacy for their actions. We seek to clarify that their reprehensible actions have neither legitimacy nor our sympathy," the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said in a statement.

The MCB, which is an umbrella body representing over 500 organizations, expressed "shock and utter disgust" at Saturday's attacks, that killed seven people and injured 47.

The group further stated that the attackers' actions "alienates them from any association with our community for whom the inviolability of every human life is the founding principle (Q.5:32)."

"We implore everyone to unite: we are one community. In the face of such dastardly cowardice, unlike the terrorists, we must uphold love and compassion." the statement continued.

Meanwhile, worshippers at a mosque attended by one of the London attackers denounced the "evil" atrocity as the investigators continue to look into their background and links.

Khuram Butt, who is known locally as Abz, was reportedly thrown out of the Jabir Bin Zayd Islamic Centre in Barking after ranting about the elections and claiming that voting was "un-Islamic."

He reportedly returned to the mosque the day before the London Bridge attack for Friday prayers. The leaders of the mosque stated that their thoughts and prayers were with the victims and their families.

Butt was known to MI5 and police, but the authorities claimed that there was no evidence that he planned an attack. The other two attackers have been named as Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack and has praised the three slain terror suspects.

The police have arrested a total of 12 people during a raid in Barking, London, just hours after the attack.