LONDON, 28 August 2005 — A coalition of disparate faith and human rights groups and senior political leaders such as London Mayor Ken Livingstone, yesterday launched a campaign to ensure that the sweeping anti-terror measures announced by Home Secretary Charles Clarke earlier in the week, do not unfairly criminalize or exclude.

The coalition against the anti-terror measures, which also includes the former Labour Health Secretary Frank Dobson; the Opposition Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten; Scottish Nationalist leader Alex Salmond; the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the Islamic Human Rights Commission, Sikh groups, Liberty, lawyers, journalists, trade unionists and Muslim MPs such as Sadiq Khan, are among hundreds who have signed a petition calling for a “broad consensus” on fighting terrorism.

“Our lives, rights and freedoms are precious and we will not surrender them. We stand united in our refusal to be defeated by those who seek to indiscriminately murder people of all faiths and races in our country,” said the petition.

‘We support the police and measures against those who plan, support or carry out such terrorist attacks. However, a number of the security measures which the government has said it is considering risk criminalizing or excluding people who condemn terrorist attacks and whose cooperation is indispensable to the work of the police in fighting terrorism. We believe that the fight against terrorism requires a broad consensus around its means and the involvement of all communities to isolate and defeat those who would use terror to divide us,” it continued.

Labour MP for Tooting, Sadiq Khan, warned that “there is a real danger that hastily drafted legislation could end up stifling the ability of Britons to stand up for those living under oppression abroad. Who decides if someone is a terrorist or a freedom fighter?”

On Thursday Mayor Livingstone, said that most Britons across the country irrespective of creed, color or race were united in the fight against further terrorist attacks and in the hunt for those responsible for the 7/7 suicide bombings. But he warned that he opposes measures worded so loosely that they would in the past have banned Nelson Mandela and his supporters from Britain, and will give rise to great fear and concern amongst communities whose support is vital to police at this time.

MCB Secretary General Sir Iqbal Sacranie similarly agreed that the object of this policy should be to protect national security and exclude those who incite hatred or advocate violence in the UK. “But, at the same time we must also take due care to ensure we adhere to international law and do not exclude people who are supporting legitimate liberation struggles against oppressive regimes,” he added.

At the same time the British Home Office has appointed Labour Peer Lord Nazir Ahmed as convener of various Muslim organizations and individuals with the mandate of coming up with recommendations of how to improve the quality of Islamic education of Imams at mosques in the UK and to ensure that extremist ideologies are not promoted by these Imams. The first meeting of the organizations took place earlier this week, and already delegates rejected the idea of setting up a new Islamic technological institution in Britain with accreditation powers.

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears yesterday similarly echoed that Muslim community leaders wanted Imams to get proper support and training, and to speak English to ensure their children got a decent religious education.

Minister Blears, who is on a UK tour to discuss ways of eradicating extremism, yesterday met 150 faith leaders in Leeds, home to two of the four 7/7 suicide bombers. Her findings will be presented to the Home Secretary Charles Clarke at a summit in London attended by faith groups, community organizations, police and other interested parties on 22 September.

“There are no simple answers. It’s a complex agenda out there for us, but with goodwill and by coming together we can make a difference. Extremism is not simply a problem for the Muslim community but for the whole of society. We are approaching this with a sense of wanting to empower communities to tackle the issues themselves,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, Westminster City Council is to launch the first permanent memorial to victims of the July 7 suicide bombings at Victoria Embankment Gardens in central London, where thousands of mourners — including Tony Blair and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair — laid wreaths in the aftermath of the attacks. The memorial is in the form of a plaque which will have the inscription: “Under this tree people of all faiths and nationalities, united in grief, laid wreaths in memory of those killed on 7th July 2005, following the attacks on London’s public transport system.’’

It also features two quotes: “The City will endure — it is the future of our world. Ken Livingstone — Mayor of London’’, and, “For all Londoners in our great city. Simon Milton — Leader of the Council.’’

The condolence books for the 55 victims of the suicide bombings, which were opened by Mayor Ken Livingstone a few days after the attacks and signed by political and religious leaders, will also be archived.