British Muslim communities have taken out newspaper advertisements condemning the recent attempted bomb attacks in London and at Glasgow airport in Scotland.

The “Muslims United” advertisement is being placed in the UK’s Guardian and Metro newspapers. It rejects any attempts to link criminal attacks to the teachings of Islam, and calls for society to remain united. The advertisement is supported by all mainstream Muslim organisations in the UK and individuals from a wide range of professions, organisers said.

Ihtisham Hibatullah, spokesman for the British Muslim Initiative, which is helping organise the campaign, said doctors made up the bulk of those who had joined the campaign. “The overwhelming response has come from the medical profession,” he said, highlighting the fact that seven of the people detained over the recent failed attacks were from the medical profession. “People in the profession want to be heard saying ‘not in their name’.”

Reuters, 5 July 2007

The insistence that terror attacks have nothing to do with Britain’s actions in the Muslim world only makes them harder to stop, argues Seumas Milne.

Guardian, 5 July 2007

Ismail Patel of the British Muslim Initiative welcomes the “measured responses” of the prime minister and other politicians to the abortive terrorist attacks in Glasgow and London. He adds: “It falls equally upon the Government and Muslims in our country to work in tandem. To truly tackle the terrorists, Mr Brown must steer a change from the political approach of the Blair years during which the Government by and large engaged only with those Muslims who have acquiesced to the former’s political stance.”

Independent, 4 July 2007

“The British Muslim Initiative welcomes the new tone that has emerged over recent days from corners of the new government under the premiership of Gordon Brown. Following the terror plots in London and Glasgow, the British people had become accustomed to a near frenzied reaction which contained the usage of loaded terms and phrases, closely followed by heavy-handed legislation proposals. However, to hear Gordon Brown speak of the need to confront this threat as a community, and his refusal to descend to the old rhetoric which demonised and singled out one sector of British society, was not only refreshing but also gave impetus to the leaders of the Muslim community and wider society in adopting a unified stand in condemning any threat to our country.”

BMI press release, 4 July 2007