Muslim groups 'appalled by sinister plot'

Community leaders were yesterday quick to condemn the terror attacks in Glasgow and London, while politicians played down fears of a backlash against British Muslims.

MPs, Muslim organisations and police chiefs were universal in their condemnation of events and emphasised the moderation of the vast majority of British Muslims. Mohammad Sarwar, the MP for Glasgow Central, led calls to condemn extremists who "brainwash" British-born Muslims, adding the Glasgow outrage had come as a major shock in a country in which mosques preach a moderate message.

Related articles

• His agenda has been blown apart, but new PM is unshaken
• Brown's message to terrorists: 'We will not be intimidated. Terror will not undermine our way of life'
• Leading article: The need for calm, caution and intelligence
• Two more arrested in airport bomb inquiry
• Terror attacks: Hour by hour, the smoke clears
• Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: Sane, ordinary Muslims must stand up and be counted
• France to bolster security following terror scare in Britain
• Johann Hari: The jihadis hate not just the worst acts of our rulers, but the best aspects of our society
• Andreas Whittam Smith: A measured response that bodes well for the future
• Search the news archive for more stories

He said: "This is a big surprise ... we were not expecting this type of incident in Scotland. This is the first incident that has happened in Glasgow and everybody is shocked and terrified."

Campaigners from the British Muslim Initiative issued a statement damning the incidents. A spokesman said: "We urge all British Muslims to fully co-operate with the authorities to apprehend and bring to justice the perpetrators."

The organisation's president Muhammad Sawalha added: "We are utterly appalled by this sinister plot and commend the professionalism of the security services in aborting it."

Osama Saeed, Scottish spokesman for the Muslim Association of Britain, said: "Terrorists do not care who they kill. We are seething with anger about this."

Police chiefs in areas where police inquiries are proceeding spoke out to calm the public. Staffordshire Police Chief Superintendent Steve Loxley said: "In spite of the current police activity, I do need to stress that there is no specific threat to our county."

Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, played down the possibility of a backlash against Muslims in light of the attacks. He said: "I would expect Scotland to behave with its usual perfect good sense in these matters ... No community should feel under suspicion as a result of individual actions."