Muslims in Bradford and across the UK were today warned a “major challenge” will be created for their community in the wake of the London killing of drummer Lee Rigby and the sentencing this week of an Asian paedophile ring.

Bradford Councillor Alyas Karmani wrote the hard-hitting sermon he gave at the Islam Bradford Centre in Preston Street during today’s Friday prayers – the same sermon was also delivered to about 500 other mosques across the country.

Coun Karmani (Respect, Little Horton) is part of Together Against Grooming (TAG), a not-for-profit cross-community organisation set up to tackle street grooming by gangs and to highlight Muslims’ responsibilities to shun evil, wrongdoing and all forms of indecent and immoral behaviour as taught by the Koran.

TAG believes recent publicity from cases of sexual grooming involving mainly men of Pakistani and South Asian background around the UK, as well as the killing of Drummer Rigby, may have negative impact on Muslims.

Some 300 men attended the service on the top floor of the centre.

In the sermon Coun Karmani said: “I will speak to you about the subject of sexual grooming that has been in the news a lot recently with many cases involving mainly men of Pakistani/South Asian background in Derby, Rochdale, Telford, Oxford and West Yorkshire who have been convicted of this wicked and evil crime.

“Unfortunately there are many other such cases pending which will mean that this issue will continue to be in the headlines for some time to come.

“The combination of publicity from a number of these cases hitting the headlines in a short space of time and the fallout from the Woolwich case will create a major challenge for the Muslim community.”

The sermon also focussed on the responsibility placed on Muslims to ensure they do all they can to safeguard children and vulnerable people in their communities regardless of who the victims are and who commits such acts.

The sermon continued: “We wholeheartedly condemn the disgraceful actions of those involved in these cases and welcome the convictions in the cases that have been through the courts.

“We wish to show our support for the victims of this terrible crime, many of whom are innocent children, and we wish to affirm that Islam as a religion of mercy and compassion places a strong obligation on safeguarding and protecting the weak and vulnerable from oppression and abuse, particularly of women and children.”

The sermon came after five members of a seven-man sadistic paedophile ring found guilty of grooming vulnerable under-age girls were given life sentences at the Old Bailey on Thursday. Two other defendants were both jailed for seven years.

Speaking after the service, Coun Karmani said: “This is a societal issue which affects everyone and this has been about breaking down barriers not reinforcing prejudices.

“Hopefully the message will be delivered everywhere from Newcastle to Southampton – in every major UK city.”