Arsonists petrol bombed a Buddhist temple in Kingsbury in a suspected politically motivated revenge attack.

The Sri Saddhatissa International Buddhist Centre burst into flames at around 3.10am on Saturday when a gang of around four men launched a flaming missile at one of its closed windows.

The blaze engulfed the front of the property waking neighbours and startled Buddhist monks who were sleeping inside.

The temple, in Kingsbury Road, has been targeted by arsonists around six times in the past two years and religious leaders believe the lastest attack could be linked to developments in the Sri Lankan civil war.