Manchester bombing: Piers Morgan mocked for telling Muslims to 'root out' extremists

'It’s not offensive or racist or bigoted or wrong,' TV presenter writes

Piers Morgan has been accused of “hate-mongering” after he urged the Muslim community to do more to combat Islamist extremism in the wake of the Manchester suicide bombing.

The TV presenter and columnist said “law-abiding Muslims" needed to do more to tackle the “growing menace” of radicalisation.

Writing in his MailOnline column, he called on the Muslim community to “step up” efforts to identify potential extremists, urging them to “be bold” and “speak up”.

“I refuse to believe this disgusting excuse for a human being never gave a single clue to anyone around him that he was becoming radicalized,” he wrote.

“It’s not offensive or racist or bigoted or wrong to ask decent, law-abiding Muslims to do more to tackle this growing menace.”

However his comments have sparked a furious backlash, with many accusing Morgan of generalisation and ignorance.

Researcher Ziya Meral said there was no such thing as a “Muslim community”.

“1) There are Muslims in UK, from more than 50 countries, with myriad of languages and cultures with varying levels of cohesion/interaction,” he wrote on Twitter.

“2) Ethnic, linguistic, theological differences between Muslims in UK are strong boundaries.

“3) Ethnic and countries of origin might form 'communities' and live in specific places, but even Muslims from elsewhere might not fit in.”

Political commentator Mo Ansar said: “And all you did is make the situation worse by blaming Muslims. Grow up, Piers. Think. Don't Trump.”

Filmmaker Lexi Alexander said: “All the Muslims in his neighbourhood reported him and UK Law Enforcement did nothing. Good Muslims can't win.”

However Morgan defended his comments, writing on Twitter: “I'm not 'blaming' them. I'm urging decent, law-abiding Muslims to do more to root out murderous extremists living in their midst.”

It comes as the police and intelligence agencies focus their efforts on identifying a terrorist network working with Salman Abedi, the suicide bomber who killed 22 people on Monday night at Manchester Arena.