I am not a Muslim, I am a Christian.

I am appalled by attempts at intimidation of any person and deeply regret the mindless threats and attacks on any person within the United Kingdom or any other place on this earth.

I know many of the Islamic faith and count a large number as friends. If it is not a contradiction in terms, one of my Godfathers was a Muslim, and he was the kindest and noblest of men. He and my father met during the second world war when both were engaged in fighting the evils of Nazism, my father in the British army and Zia as a member of Bomber Command aircrew.

I have travelled and worked extensively in Muslim countries and have found great warmth and kindness from the overwhelming numbers of the faith with whom I came into contact. I could relate several instances of help and assistance given to me that go far beyond that which I could have expected.

I too am concerned that "Muslim Guilt" for the atrocity in New York is so inaccurately termed. All nationalities, races, religions, have within them evil people - in my experience none has a monopoly of goodness, nor evil.

I deplore all fanatics, be they religious, political, or whatever. I know that all decent Muslims will deplore and condemn what happen in New York and almost certainly feel a sense of shame that the perpetrators appear to have been Muslims, just as I deplore and condemn attacks or threats against Muslims, and then feel a sense of shame that in this country the perpetrators will probably describe themselves as Christians.

Please, my reason for writing is to express to you, and all Muslims, that there are a very large number of people in this country who do not see Muslims as some sort of enemy but as fellow decent people with whom we can share our happy and sad times, as with all neighbours. I recall a quotation that a fanatic is a person who redoubles his efforts at evil because he has lost sight of truth. These people are not religious, they use a religion as cover for their evil acts and minds.

I hope that peace and good companionship can lay ahead for us all

May I first echo the sentiments of the many that have written here expressing solidarity with British Muslims as fellow citizens – and to deplore the juvenile drivel written by a small minority.

I am however concerned at the quality of the spokesmen for the Muslim community being dredged up by the media. A child purporting to be the leader of Muslim Youth in Britain tonight appeared on Channel 4 News stating, amongst other things, that if anyone harms Osama bin Laden it will be considered by every Muslim in the world as an attack on them personally. He went on to say “and there are 26million of us in Europe” – the implied threat being that all Muslims would rise up against their fellow citizens in whichever country they lived, were any Muslim brought to book for this crime. He also implied that no Muslim had any obligation to the country in which they lived - only to their co-religionists.

These are very troubling assertions, on a major news programme at prime-time, from a so-called spokesman for the British Muslim community, and have already caused a mini-storm on some Internet bulletin-boards. It may be beneficial to your community to clarify these views and make more mature spokesmen available to the media.

I am hopeful that these sad times will pass peacefully, and that the fools on each side will be ignored.

Dear Members I am writing to offer you my respect and support in the light of the recent events in America. I am not a Muslim but I was very moved by the appearance of one of your members on TV talking of the opinions of the Muslim Council regarding the recent attacks.

He mentioned that some hatemail had been received which disturbed me so much. The fearful scapegoat mentality which leads to this kind of communication can never come to anything fruitful: it is a sign of pure blind prejudice and ignorance.

As someone who is from a mixed Irish and Jewish family this kind of attitude has been a factor in my own background so it is sickening to hear of it being perpetuated in our culture which we would like to view as educated and enlightened.

Given the kind of hysteria which an event such as Tuesday's is liable to generate I imagine the Muslims, Arabs and Asians of Great Britain may have their integrity and motivations called into question on occasion in the future. So please accept my wishes of support and respect in what might be a worrying time for you. Shalom.

Just to say how sorry I am to that you have received hate mail after the dreadful events in America. I wish to say that the majority truly understands that Islam rejects the taking of innocent lives and can only hope and pray that we all understand each other.Our paths to God may be a little different that we all have the same aim and to live at peace with out neighbours. With all good wishes to the Muslim Community

Over the last few years I have watched in horror events in the world descend inexorabley towards deeper and deeper crises and destruction. I watched as the West bombed Iraq; in an operation I was told was essential and I have watched Israel struggle for existance surrounded by enemies. But as I have grown older, stark truth has begun to dawn. Israel does not seem to want to live in harmony with its neighbours, denying Palestine the very right of homeland so central to Israelly/Jewish culture. Sadam Hussein was labeled (in all probability correctly)a dictator but a dictator is a person who forces his people to do his bidding, someone who forces fathers into the army and into wars they did not start but yet 'the west' bombed these men in trenches; these men who as children lived in a state actively supported by 'the west'. As if this was not enough civilian lives were destroyed by crippling sanctions and 'accidental' bombings of civilian targets.

The people in the New York were innocent yes, but 'the west' is responsible for the deaths of many more innocents in Iraq. ALL THESE ACTS WERE HORRIFIC AND WRONG.

If several thousand in New York is totally unjustifiable what justification can be given for several hundred thousand?

I am contacting you simlpy because I am scared and confused. I fear for the lives of everyone I love in a seemingly unavoidable escalation of worldwide evil, whoever it maybe that purpetrates that evil.

I do not believe in a God that chooses his people by virtue of what building they worship at, and indeed my faith in God's existence has been shaken over the years so I am not asking to become a Muslim but I am asking for advice.

What can I do to prevent the this downward spiral, or perhaps where can I go to protect my son and I from the War that the West and some/many in the Middle East seem to be intent on waging on eachother.

I apologise for the bluntness of this letter but I do not know what else to do.