The head of one of Britain’s largest Muslim organisations has urged people to remain peaceful following the death of Osama bin Laden.
Councillor Salim Mulla, who is chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, told Sky News: “I am appealing publicly to all Muslim communities wherever they may be that there is no backlash. We should now move on.”
Cllr Mulla said although he was not critical of the American operation that resulted in the Bin Laden’s killing, he thought many Muslims would be “irritated”.
He said: “I really hope and pray that there will not be a backlash. I hope it won’t happen and I can’t see it happening.
“I have been very critical of American foreign policy in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it is time to move on.
“In relation to Osama bin Laden - we believe that the soul of anybody who dies belongs to God and he will now be accountable to God.”
Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, also called for “calm and extra vigilance”.
“Osama bin Laden has been responsible for preaching hatred and using terrorism to kill innocent people around the world,” he said.
“It would have been more suitable for him to be captured alive and put of trial in an international court for the crimes he has committed.
“Victims of terrorism by al Qaeda should have had the chance to see him brought to justice.
“Al Qaeda is a murderous organisation that runs totally against Islam, their actions to use terrorism around the world is not sanctioned by our faith, which promotes peace and protecting human life.
“Every human should be held responsible for their actions in a court of law and Osama bin Laden is no different.”
He added: “Despite seeing no justice for the victims in this world as Muslims we believe that now these crimes will be left to Allah to judge.”
On the streets of Bradford, home to one of Britain’s largest Muslim populations, there was a mixed reaction to news of the al Qaeda leader’s death.
Some people, including taxi driver Mohammed Rashid, said they did not believe the news.
“It doesn’t seem to be true,” he said, “because it has taken such a long time... so many years and I’m not sure I can believe it.”
Another Muslim, who asked not to be identified, said: “We’ve heard it all before from the Americans.
“Unless I actually see a corpse that can be recognised as Osama bin Laden, I will not believe that he is dead.”
In the Leeds suburb of Beeston where three of the four London bombers lived and worshipped, there was a strong sense of reluctance to comment publicly.
One driving teacher said he feared there would be rising anger, especially among young Asian men.
He believed however that feelings in Beeston were not as inflamed as they had been in the early days of the war on terror.