AS members of the Bolton Interfaith Council, we want to express our deep concern at what seems like the impending war against Iraq. We have a number of deep fears about the present situation.

We are concerned that the processes of the United Nations have not been given enough time to work. We call upon our Prime Minister and President Bush to wait for the completion of the work of the weapons inspectors and only then to seek for a further UN resolution before going to war.

We are also concerned at what seems like American hegemony. President Bush seems to be saying that, if the UN does not agree with his view, then he will go to war in any case. This is tantamount to his wanting to play God. America must never consider itself above the UN, International Law, or International Courts.

We have similar concerns about our own Prime Minister. A war against Iraq should only ever be considered if Parliament has first been given a full and proper debate on the matter.

We also want to make people aware that the proposed war against Iraq is in no way a religious war. It is not a war of the Christian West against Islam.

Since the events of 9/11, and the so-called war against terrorism, much Islamophobia has been evident. Many people have talked about Muslim terrorists or Muslim Fundamentalists. We repudiate these slurs against our Muslim brothers and sisters.

We believe that, at their heart, the three great religions of Islam, Hinduism and Christianity are peaceable religions. Our commitment is to peace at all times. We distance ourselves from fundamentalists in all three traditions who want to make religion a pretext for violence. We assert categorically that there can be no religious basis for a war against Iraq.

Our concerns are fundamentally humanitarian. A war against Iraq is likely to involve the people of Iraq in much suffering. It is they who will bear the real cost. We acknowledge that Saddam has persecuted his own people, but a war against Iraq could provoke him to further violence.

There is also the right of the Iraqi people to choose their own future. If America invades and puts in place it own puppet leader, then many in Iraq will feel humiliated. The danger with such an approach is that it will be seen as American Imperialism by the back door.

The Interfaith Council is calling a meeting to raise these issues with Mr David Crausby MP at 7.45pm on Friday, January, 31, at Bolton Central Library. All are welcome.

Michael Williams, Vicar of Bolton Parish Church;

Moulana Rashid Ahmed Ali Seth, Imam of the Zacharia Mosque; and

Miss Priti Merai, of the Hindu Forum