Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin emphasised that the war on Iraq is not against Muslims but a "tyrant" who poses a threat to world peace, when he visited Bradford yesterday.
Mr Letwin was in the city on a pre-arranged visit to Bradford Conservative Association.
He arrived at the Dubrovnik Hotel in Oak Avenue after passing anti-war protesters in and around the city and confidently predicted there would soon be cheering on the streets of Baghdad as people were liberated.
He said he had no idea when British troops would be involved but his sympathies lay with families waiting to hear from them.
"I have a mixture of feelings - worry about the troops and concern that civilians may be killed."
But he said he believed people would see the reason for war when they saw the "torture chambers" of Saddam Hussein's regime on television and heard cheering on the streets of Baghdad as people were liberated. Mr Letwin added: "I don't think people should get into a terrible state of panic about the consequences at home.
"We have been under threat of a terrorist attack for some years and I don't see why it should suddenly happen."
Mr Letwin added: "There is no doubt at all many British Muslims have been very worried about this war. The great majority of invasions and tortures by Saddam have been against Muslims."
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