London terror aftermath - Unity is the best response

The decision by more than 130 British Muslim religious leaders to refuse to offer funeral prayers for the men who went on a murder rampage in London on Saturday night is an unambiguous declaration.

Their not-in-our-name stand reaffirms that Islamic extremism is confined to a minority, one that defies the expectations of their religious peers as much as they defy the principles of inclusion and tolerance our societies are built on.

These sentiments were echoed by the head imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland, Shaykh Dr Umar Al Qadri, who warned that there are people in Ireland trying to spread hate online and that they must be challenged.