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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 12 July 2007

Danger of playing into hands of fanatics

• WE are told the new Labour government is changing the language about the deplorable, criminal bomb plots against Londoners and others in Britain.
Gordon Brown and Co are supposed to have dropped the phrase “war on terrorism” and will no longer speak of “Muslim terrorists”.
Yet, in the very BBC television report announcing this change, the newscaster said that Britain’s new security chief had said Britain now faced a 15-year “battle” against “Islamist terrorism”. Not much improvement there then.
It has to be understood by all that extremist terrorism is in defiance of Islam and incompatible with Muslim religion.
Britain needs the co-operation of its large and important Muslim community. The government does not encourage confidence and trust by treating all Muslims as suspects, or by telling law-abiding citizens (which the vast majority of Muslims have always been) that they must change their ways.
That only plays into the hands of the fanatical zealots who want to spread more extremism.
Camden has one of the largest Muslim communities in London and I am glad that the Liberal Democrat-led partnership administration is working with Muslim leaders to encourage co-operation in practical ways – doing as much as possible to target resources to improve education, opportunities and employment prospects for the Muslim community.
The administration has, for the first time, pledged council support for the project for a purpose-built mosque and Islamic study centre in Camden. If that project can be brought to fruition, the Muslim community will have a religious centre of which those of our faith can be really proud, just as Christians are proud of their churches and chapels, or Jews of their synagogues.
To me that seems a worthwhile goal – and a complete contrast to the murderous plans of terrorist extremists who endanger us all.
CLLR FARUQUE ANSARI
Lib Dem, Kentish Town ward

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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