British Muslim leaders have urged every Imam in the country to help police fight terrorism after the arrest of eight men believed to be Muslims in a major national anti-terror sweep.
The appeal for vigilance was being sent to prayer leaders in over 1,000 mosques following the arrests and seizure of explosives yesterday, in Britain's biggest anti-terror operation since the September 11 attacks of 2001.
"The (Muslim) Council is sending letters to every Imam in the country - that is over 1,000 mosques - reminding them that we are all facing a common threat from terror," Muslim Council of Britain spokesman Inayat Bunglawala told journalists.
"We are urging them to urge Muslims to be vigilant and alert and give any information they may have on any possible wrongdoing or criminal activity to the police to investigate."
Mr Bunglawala said Muslim leaders feared there could be a backlash against the country's two million Muslims if an attack was launched in Britain.
"The Muslim community realises that any atrocity perpetrated here may well play into the hands of the Far Right who will no doubt exploit it for their own devices," he said.
"We know that a terrorist atrocity will not differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims. Half of Britain's two million Muslims live in the London area," he added.