Hoax letter incites Sikh-Muslim violence

War on Terrorism: Tension

The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said yesterday that strong leadership was needed to combat rising tension among ethnic minorities in Derby.

A highly charged atmosphere in the city has been compounded by the circulation of an inflammatory hoax letter. The letter, circulated to British Asians, calls on Muslims to convert Sikh girls to Islam by getting them drunk. It purports to come from a militant Islamic organisation.

But, according to the Labour peer Lord Ahmed, it may be the work of right-wing extremists seeking to capitalise on recent inter-racial tension and he has asked the Home Office to find its source.

The letter, which is under investigation by Derbyshire Police, has already been the source of one fight which resulted in a young Asian being taken to hospital. Rumours about the leaflet have spread around the Normanton area of the city, inciting rival factions.

Yesterday, Mr Blunkett told community leaders to "stamp" on any division being caused, which has allegedly led to boycotts of Muslim shops.

"Rumours abound at the moment," said Mr Blunkett. "Virtually every one of them turns out to be untrue and I'm very pleased that the Hindu and Sikh leadership, together with Islamic leaders in those areas affected, have taken steps at once to calm this down and to get people to understand that the only people who have an interest in dividing and separating are those who want to divide our society, not retain it."

A meeting of young Sikhs at a local temple earlier this week demonstrated the level of anger about the letter. But leaders have promised to quell local rivalries, one of which prompted an attack on pupils and teachers by a Muslim gang armed with hammers and axes at the Derby Moor Community School two weeks ago.

A 15-year-old Hindu girl suffered a fractured skull when the gang of 10 rampaged through the school, smashing more than 40 windows and assaulting staff and pupils.

Pupils at the school said inter-racial tension had increased dramatically since the terrorist attacks on America and the bombing of Afghanistan.

Muslim youths had sprayed graffiti supporting Osama bin Laden on a school building and Muslim children from Derby Moor had joined in the attack. Two members of staff and four other pupils were injured. The attack was said to have followed an argument between three girls about race and the events of 11 September. Two teenagers have been accused of assault and three pupils from a neighbouring school have been expelled.

Last night, Derbyshire Police said the hoax letter first surfaced in Derby six months ago, though it was probably not produced in the city. Others had been released across the UK over the past six years. A police spokeswoman said: "We condemn the production of letters of this kind. In the event that the authors are identified, or people are caught distributing copies, it's likely the matter will be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service."