The Muslim News

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Racial taunts against Muslims in Britain have increased after the terror attacks on America, an Islamic community spokesman says.

Women wearing headscarves have been abused and branded "murderers". Mosques have been vandalised and in one case received a bomb threat, says the editor of the London-based Muslim News, Ahmed Versi.

Some Muslims are so concerned about a backlash from Tuesday's US terror attacks they are afraid to leave their homes, he said.

Mr Versi said: "The central London mosque was evacuated at 3pm yesterday after receiving a bomb threat. Now only a third of people are turning up for a health fair there. They say they are too scared to come along.

"We have been inundated with e-mails and calls from Muslims everywhere, who have been threatened over the last couple of days.

Mr Ahmed says there were Muslims among members of the emergency services who perished when the World Trade Centre collapsed and among those working in the tower.

He said: "Many black people who work in the New York fire and police department are practising Muslims. And 50 Bangladeshi and two Lebanese Muslims were working in the tower when it collapsed."

He said British Muslims were sharing in the global outpouring of grief and mourning that has followed the attacks.

Members of the Muslim community on Thursday signed the condolence book at the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, to show their solidarity in grief with Americans, he said.

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