MUSLIM leaders voiced fears yesterday that racist right-wing groups are already seeking to stir up hatred against their community after the bomb attacks.
Talks were being held with police and local authorities to ensure the security of mosques and areas where there are large Islamic populations.
Although the Government emphasised that it would not “jump to conclusions” about responsibility for the attacks, there was a grim acceptance among many community leaders that the perpetrators would turn out to be extremists linked to their religion.
All the large Muslim groups in Britain swiftly condemned the bombings, which they said were contrary to Islam’s highest principles of peace, justice and humanity.
Sir Iqbal Sacranie, secretary- general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “The evil people who planned and carried out this series of explosions want to demoralise us as a nation and divide us as a people. All of us must unite in helping the police to capture these murderers. We must remember the victims will have been people of all faiths, all races and many nationalities.”
But he later told The Times that his organisation had received thousands of e-mails from right-wing extremists threatening revenge. Sir Iqbal said: “One, which is particularly awful, reads, ‘It’s now war on Muslims throughout Britain’. These messages are all being copied and sent on to the police.
“We are advising our community to remain calm but vigilant. There are elements who will want to exploit this tragedy. In the meantime we will do everything we can to ensure that those responsible for the bombs are brought to justice.”
The British National Party immediately predicted that an Islamic terrorist group would be shown to have been behind the attacks, which would “undoubtedly lead to a fall out” in politics, increasing pressure on Tony Blair’s policy in the Middle East and his stance on immigration or asylum issues.
The party claimed that Nick Griffin, its chairman, who faces trial on criminal charges for inciting racial hatred, could be vindicated by the events of yesterday morning. In a statement it said that Mr Griffin had specifically referred to attacks on soft targets by suicide bombers who were either asylum-seekers or second generation Muslims recruited in places such as Bradford. It added: “If these bomb blasts are indeed the work of Islamic fundamentalists, the prosecution case is likely to collapse. No one is likely to be convinced that crying wolf is unlawful when the wolf has just run riot through the lambs’ pen.”
These comments provoked an angry response from Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality. He said: “At a time when everyone else is thinking first about the people who died, what does the BNP do? It talks about whether this will get Nick Griffin off the hook. I think that shows the BNP is not really interested in our country. Instead they are playing politics, pointing the finger of blame at one community.
“They are constantly trying to divide our country and, by doing so, reveal themselves to be very similar to the extremists who have perpetrated this violence. But, given the nature of London and those who would have been travelling to work when the bombs went off, this was a multi-ethnic, multifaith and multiracial tragedy.”
The commission was contacting local networks, telling them to report any evidence of an upsurge in racist or religious hatred. “We are monitoring the situation closely,” Mr Phillips said. “On Wednesday London won its bid for the Olympics partly because of the tolerant, diverse and united nature of our society. We must show we are still united in the face of tragedy, united against this arbitrary violence.”
At the East London Mosque, close to some of the worst carnage at Aldgate Tube station, worshippers were horrified by the attacks. “We’re doing what everyone else is doing in London, praying for the victims and trying to find out if our friends or family are all right,” Usamah Ward, a spokesman, said yesterday.
Dilowar Khan, director of the mosque, said: “We’re worried about the repercussions for our community. We don’t want people to be frightened but they should be careful and keep an eye out. I’m concerned that the mosque will be attacked.”
The Muslim Association of Britain, a fundamentalist organisation that has been criticised for alleged links with terrorist groups such as Hamas, expressed its “disgust” at the bombings. It said in a statement: “Islam holds the sanctity of human life in the highest possible regard and shedding the blood of an innocent person is seen as a crime most heinous and repulsive.”
The association called “on those living in London and elsewhere to provide all assistance and support requested by the emergency services”.
The Federation of Student Islamic Societies issued a strong condemnation of “these cowardly acts of violence”. So too did the Islamic Society of Britain, which promised to “stand in solidarity with the nation”. Dr Munir Ahmed, the president of the society, said: “Let us keep alive the Olympic spirit. Terrorism will not defeat us!”
The British Muslim Forum said: “This is clearly a day of great disappointment coming after a day of great joy as our city of London only yesterday won the bid for hosting the Olympics 2012. We wholeheartedly support, congratulate and appreciate the efforts of the authorities that are dealing with the situation.”
Extremists were keeping a low profile. Omar Bakri Mohammed, a cleric whose advocacy of violence has been denounced by most of his community, was unusually out of contact yesterday.
