A mature, sensible and valuable contribution to the most important issue of our time.

J.P. Furriskey, Wells, England

What is far more important than the release of odious, extremist bookshop devoutee, Bakr is the charging of 6 of the 9 men!

Which actually shows all the BBC transmitted blither about 'Police State Britain persecution Muslims' was as wrong as it was insulting.

Dave Brock, Stoke, Staffs

Thank you very much for telling the MCB, who does not represent me, what leadrship is about!

There is a reasonably large Muslim population ,where I live in West London, but not a shadow of these "leadership organisations". I applaude Ruth Kelly's move in directly approaching local Council's.

Salah Hassan, London,

"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is ETERNAL VIGILANCE."

J.P. Curran's words of two centuries ago ring even louder today He who chooses to ignore reality and bury his head in "political correctness" may ultimately lose his head to the caliph's axe man.

Clement R Knorr, Tucson, Arizona,

Sir,

I enjoyed you article and agree with what you have written.

Well stated.

Steve Evans, Hong Kong,

Arrest em, try em, bang em up, deport them. That's it. It's not racism or religion whatever ism - it's called common sense.

Fred, Dubai, Dubai

Shaihid Malik

I like the above.
Now let us talk about the business.
You are right. “The police don’t always get it right but they are being placed in an invidious and near-impossible position.” Thai s called the investigation. They are paid not to be where the crime is committed. If they were, there no crime would take place. Would you shoot a man in front of the policeman? No? Yes.
That is where the leadership comes also. The police are chased by the leaders who don’t do their jobs properly. There the Parliament and there are discussions. Then there is a recess more then the discussing. The adjourned discussions takes say two to three years. Then the conclusion is put to votes and , it is a lonnnng procedure I tell you

Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania

Sir/Madam:
A well written and sensible article.

However, more leaders like Shahid Malik ought to be outspoken and vehement to insist upon Muslims to be productive members of the society and nation instead of constant whining! This will help all!
Regards,

Krishna R. Kumar, Udupi, India

How wonderful to read a thoughtful and sensible point of view from a Muslim. At last someone in 'the community' who is not obsessed by the wisdespread 'I am a victim' culture we witness from most muslims. Even as a white anglo-saxon christian male I have been bullied and discriminated against for much of my life in one way or another. And yes, I have been abused by non-whites. It's life and we need to learn to deal with it and move on. Good for you.

Colin, Sarlat, France

Perhaps being bashed on the head and hospitalised by the Police and earlier - on his first day at school, being: "beaten to a pulp by skinheads" have affected Mr Malik with a form of Stockholm Syndrome. I suspect, he is simply displaying the traditional, ambitious politicians’ reneging on natural allegiances and inconvenient truths to curry favour with his political masters.

Mr Malik always leaves one with a disturbing sense of slippery zeal for promoting self advancement rather than taking the harder road of exposing the most authoritarian, mendacious and anti-democratic Government and Prime Minister we have ever had the misfortune to be saddled with.

Derek, Oxford, UK

There is a group of Muslim leaders who are not self-appointed, and to whom the government should be talking as representatives of the Muslim community. That group is Muslims who have served as mayors. Such individuals must first be elected as councillors by their community; then they must be chosen by their fellow councillors to represent all the people of their town. It is likely that such individuals can represent Muslim concerns while having the insight to place them in a broader perspective, and the ability to work with people who have a wide range of backgrounds and points of view. Quite the opposite of self-appointed leaders who, as Mr Malik writes, sometimes cannot see beyond the "victim narrative".

James Kennett, Worcester, UK

The issue of HMD and MCB non-attendance is a non starter. The Islamic view on murder of one or murder of 1-6 million is the same: It is wrong. If the West wants to hold HMD that is, not their right, but more importantly their duty. They were part of what Goldhagen controversially termed ' Willing Executioners'. I was speaking to a Jewish lady, three weeks ago, whose father had lost 21 members to the death squads. She informed me that Jewish leaders had asked for the RAF to bomb and wipe out the concentration camp but were turned down. Ironically, she stated they had no moral problem with Dresden. So the Holocaust, of which there is no denial, was a European crime for which Muslims are paying. Why should we stand alongside those that are perpetrating the same?

syed, london,

A well-balanced article. As a Muslim, I agree with what you have written and I know that a lot of.. at least most of my Muslim friends... share your view. My only comment would be regarding names of people arrested. Ideally they should not be released until they are convicvted "One is innocent until proven guilty". Failing that, then at least until they are charged in court. It should be a crime for anyone, whether police or press, to release such information, but they could state "x people were arrested.." etc etc without naming. From a forensic point of view, it is also better for their "Free unarrested" accomplices not to knwo that they have been arrested to avoid escaping !! Having said that, I agree that there is so much the police can do, and the media needs to reduce the appearance of extreme voices in the media and encourage more moderate people .. the SILENT majority of Muslims .. such as yourself and last week's army brother to speak out instead !

Ash, Leicester, England/UK

Tarjuma/translation:

'True leadership' aka subjecation & subservience to the Labour Govt.

Ms Kelly attended the launch of the Sufi Muslim Council (SMC). - Back to divide and rule

Goodwill - Bringing Interpal back to court 'again'

Wasallam-Peace

M A Patel, Dewsbury, Yorkshire

Since when do members of the BNP carry explosives onto public transport and detonate themselves ???

This is an example of disseminating anti-white race hate and getting away with it by calling it racial equality !!!

Whites have a right to seek to avoid extinction in their ancestral homeland !!

India would not allow immigration to the extent where other race groups outnumber ethnic Indians in any Indian city, village or region !

In a hundred years India will still be inhabited by ethnic Indians - white British people will have become extinct by then.

Why should we give up our rights to our ancestral homeland and the right of our race to exist ????

J. V.Garrick , Dunfermline , Fife

you are right, muslims are not a homogeneous mass and im squarely convinced that this is the key leading to a desintegrated community. We should bear in mind that together we stand and divided we fall. And surely an unstable community is likely to be the result if true leadership is not well defined.

Nooreen, Kent, UK

I'm probably a bit thick, so please make allowances for me.

While I don't have any particular problem with people believing in a religion of their choice, I fail to see why the muslim faith keeps demanding and getting all this media attention.

What makes them so special over sikhs or hindus or any other minority faith...As I understood it, we are recognised as a christian country and the head of the church of this country lives in Buckingham Palace? Or have I got it wrong?

J Bush, Cambridge,

There are several differences between the BNP and the MGB. The BNP is simply a group of well-meaning anthropologists, seeking to disentangle the complex skeins of evolution among various races, and a centre for modern history students seeking to correct certain misconceptions about the second world war. The MGB is a gentlemens' club, keen to correct the same misconceptions, but also promoting ancient Eastern values and supporting fairness and equality among members' wives, no matter how many they own.

Antony, Pinner, Uk

I'm sick of Muslims complaining of persecution. 50% of them denied that the 9/11 event bombers were Muslims and thought it a Western plot, and even many that accepted this was done by Muslims, agreed with the actions! Muslims carried out bombings here, and now some are calling for Sharia law. What do they expect after such actions? Do not they realise that if the roles were reversed and Christians held similar views, and commited atrocities like the London bombings, one wouldn't see for the smoke from burning churches! Or perhaps they do not want to see.

Peter Day, Doncaster, uk