Mosques unite to condemn terrorism

Jul 3 2007 By Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Mail

MOSQUES have united in Birmingham to condemn terrorism, city MP Khalid Mahmood has told the House of Commons.

Mr Mahmood, one of few Muslim MPs, said representatives of 250 mosques had spoken out against the "absolutely barbaric attacks" when they met in Small Heath over the weekend.

But one Staffordshire MP appeared to call on Muslims to make their opposition to terrorism clearer.

Tony Wright (Lab, Cannock Chase), said: "Surely we now have to ask the British Muslim community to condemn this barbarism, without any equivocation, without any caveats, without any ifs and buts, because they are our only real ally against it."

The MPs spoke out after the Home Secretary, Redditch MP Jacqui Smith, gave a statement to the Commons pledging: "We will not be intimidated by terror."

She said she was chairing a weekly "security board" bringing together security staff, police and Government offices to co-ordinate anti-terrorism efforts.

As Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, sat beside her, Ms Smith told the Commons: "My aim as Home Secretary is to allow the British public to live their lives as they would wish, within the law."

Responding, Mr Mahmood (Lab, Perry Barr) said he had attended a summit of mosques from across the country in Birmingham.

He said: "There were more than 250 mosques and 5,000 people, and all of them unreservedly condemned this absolutely barbaric attack."