Terrorism to be tackled 'head on' UK Muslim leaders and politicians have met at Downing Street and agreed to tackle terrorism "head on", Prime Minister Tony Blair has said. The 25 senior Muslims, as well as opposition leaders, met to discuss the London bombings, which killed 56.
The possibility of setting up a task force to fight terrorism was discussed. Mr Blair said it was time to "confront this evil ideology, take it on and defeat it" and promised action against those who incited terrorism. Speaking after the talks, Conservative leader Michael Howard said it was the responsibility of Muslim leaders to reach out to young people in their communities to prevent the "merchants of evil" from influencing them. It is not the top few who will help, but the education of today's youth that will prevent problems in the future Ryan, Cardiff, Wales But he added: "We must do much more than we have done so far to make everyone in this great national community of ours proud of being British." Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said representatives had agreed the taskforce would have to be centrally driven but "locally achieved". Tony Blair said the meeting was "heartening" and showed "a remarkable degree of unity across the community and across the political parties". And he said that the law on inciting hatred and terrorist violence was likely to be strengthened. Iraq 'excuse' "I am against people who advocate suicide bombing, whether it's in London, whether it's in Afghanistan or Iraq or it's in Palestine or its in Turkey or Kashmir or anywhere. They have got no place, such people, in our country." After the meeting, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair called for a new offence to tackle extremist preachers who had proved difficult to prosecute. "We need a new offence - 'glorifying terrorism' would do very well," he said. The prime minister rejected claims the military action in Iraq had made Britain more of a target for terrorist attacks. "Of course these terrorists will use Iraq as an excuse. They will use Afghanistan. September 11, of course, happened before both those things and then the excuse was American policy on Israel." SOME OF THOSE ATTENDING Sir Iqbal Sacranie - Muslim Council of Britain Yousef Al-Khoei - Al Khoei Foundation Zaki Badawi - Muslim College Sarah Joseph Sadiq Khan MP Shahid Malik MP Imam Irabhim Mogra MP Sadiq Khan said: "This was not a love-in." There had been "frank and robust discussions" over what should be done, he said. Imam Ibrahim Mogra said he believed that Iraq had acted as a "recruitment sergeant for people who wish to preach hatred". "I believe there was a relationship but that does not justify what these murderous criminals have done." Meanwhile, police have been given permission to keep in custody until 23 July a West Yorkshire man arrested on 12 July. Biochemist doubts The man, 29, was arrested on suspicion of the commission, instigation or preparation of acts of terrorism and is being held at a central London police station. In another development, Egyptian officials are quoted as saying biochemist Magdi Mahmoud al-Nashar, arrested in Cairo, has no connection with the blasts. We must start engaging with, not agreeing with, the radical groups who we have said in the past are complete nutters Sayeeda Warsi Conservative's Muslim vice-chair The officials were quoted in Egypt's government newspaper Al Ahra. The 33-year-old Leeds University chemistry PhD student, arrested as part of the inquiry into the bombings, denies any link. Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced that £10m will go into a criminal injuries compensation scheme to help those wounded by the London bombings. A further £10m will go to the Metropolitan Police to help the force with its counter-terrorism work. Mr Blair also met Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday as the UK commits more troops to the country ahead of parliamentary elections later this year. On Monday, officials in Pakistan confirmed that three of the four London bombers had visited the country last year. The terrorists have proven in Afghanistan that they are simply in the business of killing, regardless of where that killing may be Hamid Karzai Afghan president Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, and Shehzad Tanweer, 22, arrived and left together, and spent three months in the country. It is not clear how long Hasib Hussain, 18, who flew in last July, stayed in Pakistan. The three, all Britons of Pakistani descent, and one other bomber were among 56 people killed in the blasts. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/4695275.stm Published: 2005/07/19 15:15:50 GMT © BBC MMV Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
