Scholars and spiritual leaders in the Islamic community in Ireland have been urged to co-operate more with one another in order to counter the threat of Muslim extremists gaining a foothold in the country.
Sheikh Allama Zille Umar Qadri, director of the Islamic Centre in Clonee, Co Meath, said he "hoped and believed" that Ireland would never see the emergence of religious fanatics like those behind the London bombings.
But, he said, there was always a risk, and "we want to avoid it before it happens".
"Muslims should unite - and especially Islamic centres and mosques in Ireland should unite - to form one umbrella. If you don't do that you will get what you have in the UK, where every city has its own mosque and problems can start."
Speaking at an interfaith conference in Dublin at the weekend, he revealed that talks had already begun between mosques to create an Irish Muslim Council, which would be based on the Muslim Council of Britain.
As well as serving to represent mosques and scholars, it would act as a point of contact for dialogue with the Government, he said.
Sheikh Allama said Muslims in Ireland had not experienced any backlash since the bombings, and "I hope this will continue".
Stressing that Islam had no place for such attacks, he said: "Those people who say we do not need to condemn terror do not know their religion."
Nonetheless, he said, an effort should be made to understand why some people engaged in suicide bombings.
"It's totally wrong, the reaction. But we have to find the root of it. First, injustice - people are angry over Palestine and other injustices. Second, education. The countries that are most violent have the lowest literacy rate."
A two-minute silence was held at the conference, entitled "Towards a New Religious Model for Global Peace", in memory of those killed in the bombings 11 days ago.
Organised by the Interfaith Roundtable and Saor-Ollscoil na hÉireann, the gathering was said to be the first of its type in Ireland, bringing together members of a broad range of religious traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism and Baha'i.
Held at the Castleknock Parish Centre in west Dublin, the event attracted a number of dignitaries including local TD and Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan, and Indian ambassador to Ireland Saurabh Kumar.
The Rev Andrew Orr, of the Church of Ireland, said the conference venue was particularly appropriate given that "Dublin 15 is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse parts of Ireland."
Stressing the need for greater understanding between faiths, he said he knew from growing up in east Belfast that too often faith and religion were used to demonise "and to ostracise those who see things differently".
Prof Hamid bin Ahmad al-Rifaie, a Saudi Arabian who heads a number of international Islamic organisations, including a liaison committee with the Vatican, differentiated between spiritual and "constructional" worship.
While different faith-holders might disagree on the former, the latter was "our common task . . . how to build our lives, how to bring justice, peace and freedom for all the human communities," he said.
