Will Muslims help tackle terrorism in Britain?

BBC News:

It is "essential" the Muslim community is fully involved in the next stage of tackling terrorism in the UK, MPs say.

Relations between ethnic communities have worsened since 11 September 2001, the Home Affairs Select Committee said.

Asians were not being targeted by police, but there was a "clear perception" among Muslims they were being stigmatised, its report said.

It followed a five-month inquiry into how the terrorism threat was affecting community relations.

The MPs also said religious leaders should condemn followers who advocated violence, particularly those "organising and propagating extremist ideas sympathetic to terrorism".

"They must be identified and dealt with effectively - not only by the authorities, but most importantly by the Muslim community itself," the report said.

The committee also said more should be done to tackle Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.

Muslim leaders should continue to condemn "forcefully and unequivocally" attacks on Jews by members of their community, said the MPs.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews supported this view, blaming "the export of anti-Semitic views from Arab states in the Middle East" for attacks against Jews.

In the news:

Anti-terror role 'key for Muslims'

Ethnic relations 'damaged' by UK's war on terror

Community relations hit by terror laws, say MPs