Communities must unite

Feb 1 2007 Post Comment

The eyes of the world are on Birmingham today, but not in a way that this city either desires or deserves.

The arrests yesterday of nine alleged terror suspects serves as a particularly unpleasant but nevertheless timely reminder of the realities of life among all western multicultural communities.

It would of course be quite wrong to comment in any way on the innocence or guilt of men against whom charges have not yet been laid. But it is important to understand the concerns of security forces who believe they have uncovered a plot of the utmost enormity, in which a British Muslim soldier was to be kidnapped, held hostage and ultimately executed. This allegation, if it turns out to be true, signals a grisly new chapter in UK terrorist activity.

The alarm, fear and incomprehension among many in Birmingham's Asian community is understandable. This is after all a city that prides itself on positive relations between different faiths and ethnic groups and has been to a large extent able to avoid the tension and violence seen in some northern cities.

The theatre of dawn raids by the police, speculation about whose door may be knocked in next and a general feeling of unease in the tight-knit streets of Alum Rock and Sparkhill raise uncomfortable emotions among people whose natural instinct is to trust and respect their neighbour.

Khalid Mahmood, the MP for Perry Barr, who happens to be a Muslim, put it well when, while urging the community to help the security services, pointed out that the arrests followed six months of surveillance. On that basis we have to give unqualified support to the police, he concluded.

It was a brave comment to make and may not be to the liking of some of Mr Mahmood's constituents. But it was the right thing to say at the right time.

Similar sentiments were expressed by the chairman of the Saltley Gate Peace Group, who urged community groups to remain united and to work with the police in rooting out extremism regardless of race and religion.

The next few days and weeks will demand sound judgement and strong leadership, underpinned by the clear understanding that terrorism recognises no faith or ethnicity boundaries. There will be those who, out of ignorance or fear, or perhaps deliberately for political reasons, want to demonise Birmingham's Muslim communities. They must not be allowed to succeed.