These Muslims had acid thrown on them, why is it not being treated as terrorism?

Jameel Muhktar, 37, and his cousin Resham Khan, 21, were attacked on June 21 while sitting in their car at traffic lights in Beckton, East London.

Both suffered horrifying "life-changing" injuries, with Muhktar placed in an induced coma to treat his injuries.

"It's definitely a hate crime," he told Channel 4 News.

"I believe it's something to do with Islamophobia. Maybe he’s got it in for Muslims because of the things that have been going on lately."

Police said the cousins had stopped at traffic lights when the man approached them and threw the toxic substance at Resham Khan through the window.

He then walked around to the other side of the car and sprayed Muhktar, who screaming in pain, tried to drive off but was temporarily blinded and crashed.

The pair then stripped off their clothes and pleaded with nearby residents for water before being driven to the hospital.

"We're innocent people. We didn't deserve that. I've never seen this guy in my life," Mukhtar told Channel 4 News.

"I don’t have any problems with anybody. My cousin is 21. She's a business student. Why would anyone do that to us?"

Police have named the suspected attacker as John Tomlin, 24, who is described as 6ft, white, with distinctive dagger and teardrop tattoos on his face.

Khan, an aspiring model who was visiting London to celebrate her birthday, required several skin grafts. 

Mukhtar said if the roles had been reversed and an Asian man had attacked an English couple with acid "the whole country knows it would be classed as a terror attack".

"I'm petrified. I don't know what's going to happen. I'm going to be scarred for life. I'm emotionally wrecked. I'm in continuous pain," he told Channel 4.

A police spokesperson said that enquiries into the attack remain ongoing, but "there is no current information to suggest that this attack was racially or religiously motivated."