BRITAIN: The far-right British National party (BNP) has been accused of deliberately ramping up racial and religious tensions by launching a leafleting campaign with anti-Muslim messages, including controversial cartoons of the prophet Muhammad.
The depiction of the prophet with a bomb as a turban was one of several images that sparked protests across the world earlier this year. The BNP's move was criticised as a blatant attempt to reignite the controversy. Azad Ali, of the Muslim Safety Forum, said: "This is a deliberate ploy to create huge tensions . . . and it is adding to the isolation, fear and frustration felt by many people in the Muslim communities."
The BNP said the leaflet was part of a "coherent campaign to alert people to the Islamification of Great Britain". It has produced another leaflet on immigration and a second on Islam, which describes the faith as "a threat to us all".
The leaflet was handed out in Sutton in southwest London. Politicians and community leaders said the BNP was trying to exploit a debate about plans to build a mosque in the area. Lal Hussain, a former Sutton councillor and the area's first Asian mayor, said residents were shocked. "This is not the sort of thing we expect round here but there is not a chance they will make any headway with these tactics. People here are far too literate and tolerant."