Read the full statement by the Prime Minister

The leader of Britain's Muslims tonight welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement of a raft of new anti-terror security measures including a £400 million campaign to combat the radicalisation of young Muslims.

While still protesting at plans to increase the period allowed of detention of suspects before trial, the Muslim Council of Britain conceded the need for measures to combat terrorism and said Muslims would be "reassured" by the evidence in Gordon Brown's of a "consensual" approach.

"Terrorism has no faith, and we must all redouble our collective effort to deny any succour to its recruiting sergeants. The MCB stands ready and willing to assist in every way it can,” said the council's leader Dr Mohammed Bari.

Outlining his measures, Mr Brown said all faith communities in the UK make a "huge contribution" in all spheres of national life and are integral to the success as a society. "And as we found - listening to all communities in June - the vast majority of people, of all faiths and backgrounds, condemn terrorists and their actions," he said.

But the Prime Minister continued: "The objective of Al Qaeda and related groups is to manipulate political and humanitarian issues in order to gain support for their agenda of murder and violence --- and to deliberately maim and kill fellow human beings, including innocent women and children. We must not allow anyone to use terrorist activities as a means to divide us or isolate those belonging to a particular faith or community."

His comments, targeted clearly at the Muslim community and in a speech full of references to Muslims in Britain, came just days after Dr Bari warned that emphasising the Al Qaeda threat was creating a climate of fear and suspicion, similar to Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Dr Bari said in an interview: "There is a disproportionate amount of discussion surrounding us," he says. "The air is thick with suspicion and unease. It is not good for the Muslim community, it is not good for society."

But today the council adopted a different tone and said it "warmly" welcomed the Prime Minister's attempt to address public security and protection while ensuring that Britain remains "cohesive and proud of its multi-faith and multicultural composition."

Dr Bari said the measures to increase public security and protection at rail stations, airports and shopping centres were "clearly sensible proposals designed to protect all of us from the terror threat. As such they deserve the support of all sections of our society."

He said the council felt reassured by the "tone" of Mr Brown's comments.

Dr Bari said: "The increased support that the government has announced for efforts to tackle extremism at the grassroots level is also to be welcomed. We urge the government that in seeking delivery of this essential work at the grass roots level, it must choose its partners with care and good sense ensuring that properly engaged and representative bodies are enlisted for support and not individuals whose claim to fame is the self alleged past association with brokers of fear and terror but now espouse neo-conservative views."

In his speech Mr Brown focused also on the need to improve the way mosques are run. He said: "We have had mosques in the UK for more than a hundred years, serving local communities well. And these communities tell me that mosques have a much wider role beyond their core spiritual purpose in providing services, educating young people and building cohesion - and the majority already work hard to reject violent extremism. As the newly constituted Mosques and Imams National Advisory Body recognises however, the governance of mosques could be strengthened to help serve communities better and challenge those who fuel hate.