Shock and scepticism among Muslims
But while some Muslims condemned the use of violence as “terrible”, others were concerned the raids were orchestrated to turn attention away from conflict in the Middle East.
At the mosque opposite one of the houses searched by police in Walthamstow, uniformed officers stood at the entrance to provide a clear path for worshippers who did not wish to speak to the assembled media.
But one Muslim, on seeing an Asian police officer at the mosque gate, burst out in anger: “You are a Muslim. You should be ashamed of yourself. You are a bad Muslim.” The officer did not respond.
But worshippers at the Finsbury Park Mosque in North London — made infamous by the preachings of now-jailed radical cleric Abu Hamza — condemned the alleged plot.
As he arrived for Friday prayers, businessman Farook Oomer, 40, from Woodford, said: “As a normal Muslim, our religion — Islam — says peace. At the end of the day, I’m a family man and I want peace myself.
“The killing of another innocent human being is forbidden in our religion and I think in all religions, be it Muslim, Christian or Jewish. I think it is wrong to kill an innocent person for religion, or personal or political gain.”
Nabil Dellal, 30, visiting from Algeria described the news as “terrible”, adding: “I think it is the full reaction of the community.”
Shamsul Khan, 33, from Luton, said: “It is a bit horrific really. I just watched the news and saw what happened. At the end of the day, it is not right, it gives us a bad name.”
However, a fellow worshipper, who did not wish to be named, said he believed the announcement by the police was part of a move to divert attention from the crisis in the Middle East.
“They are making it to divert the people from Lebanon. It is just false.”
Following prayers, Imam Ajmal Masroor said there were two major issues occupying the minds of Muslims at the moment.
On one hand, he said, the ongoing crisis in Palestine and Lebanon and Muslims “practicing their faith and presenting their faith to fellow human beings, both in practice and social element are the two sides of my sermon today”.
“Obviously, I was quite categorical and clear about the Middle East crisis, and I consider Bush and Blair’s foreign policy as part of the problem and not as a solution,” he added.
Imam Masroor said foreign policy was, if anything, “fuelling the fire of discontent” and accused the British Government of only believing in spin-doctoring.
Congregation member Kamal Adin, 33, who lives near the mosque, said after the service that he was sceptical about whether the police and security services had got it right.
Referring to the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and a botched raid at Forest Gate in east London, he said: “They have got it wrong twice, so why have they got it right now?”
Men gathering for Friday prayers at mosques close to where a man was arrested in Birmingham seemed united in their scepticism about the basis on which he had been detained.
