LET us look at recent events where, locally, there have been threats of terrorism.

Firstly, the spill over of violence from Northern Ireland led to a bomb being found underneath a car in a quiet street in Bolton. Who would have thought of that?

Secondly, in nearby Radcliffe, we have an alleged Italian anarchist group sending out letter bombs to MEPs and others. The wife of the MEP escaped luckily, shaken, with minor injuries.

Thirdly, we have intelligence to say that extreme right-wing groups in Britain are ready to use similar tactics in our land of democracy and free speech.

Let me end to assure the authorities what the vast, vast number of British and worldwide Muslims really think of terrorism.

Of course Islam stands firmly against terrorism. To be sure, "terrorism" is a recent term and, for obvious reasons, you cannot find it in the Qur'an, Hadith (sayings of the prophet), or any old scriptures of other religions for that matter.

Islam declares that killing another human being is a crime against humanity.

Islam tells us that, even in war, Muslim soldiers are not to kill women, children, and even non-combatant men. They are not even to destroy trees.

The indiscriminate killing of innocents is repugnant to Islam, whether it is given the label of "terrorism" or of "war against terrorism".

Mr I Kala

(address supplied)