SIR - It was good to see I Khan in print again recently ("Solving the forced marriage problem", T&A, October 27). People with his clarity of thought, perceptive analysis and the courage of their convictions are to be congratulated.

However in our experience he may have to wait a long time for "a response from Pakistani community leaders".

As a team with more than 60 years' community service between us, we seek to use this experience as widely as possible in Manningham. Our premises are used for the benefit of many Muslims, we have a high profile in times of trouble, actively support schools and facilitate arts groups on a weekly basis.

After Dexter Coleman's murder and the recent Bradford riots (which took place almost entirely in this parish), we delivered a personal letter of support to all local businesses within 24 hours.

At a personal level we have good individual relationships, but it is extremely difficult to engage with Manningham Mosque leaders in any constructive way. We have written, telephoned, called in person and given frequent invitations to community events - and when we eventually get a response we will have it framed!

But we won't give up and our message to Mr. Khan is, "keep the letters coming"!

The Reverends Hill, Moffat and Cooper of the Manningham Parish Team.

SIR - The Prime Minister says that the "moral fibre" of the British people will enable us to continue to support the bombardment of Afghanistan.

Perhaps Mr Blair, a pious Christian gentleman, could explain to us the precise "moral" context of raining bombs on terrified, innocent women and children.

Like all pro-war advocates, there is always behind his words the disgraceful, unspoken assumption that the death of an Afghan child is somewhat less worthy of our sympathy than the death of an American child.

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley.

SIR - I was born and brought up in Bradford and joined the Armed Forces 21 years ago.

I have no religious beliefs. However, I am fiercely proud to be British and have served my country with pride. So you can imagine my disgust at fellow "Bradfordians" allegedly volunteering to fight for the Taliban.

It would not be ludicrous to suggest that I or another Bradfordian fighting for HM Forces could end up taking a bullet from such a mercenary, a man from his own town who has sworn allegiance to a country that isn't even his motherland.

What would be the outcome of this scenario ? For certain my wife would be a widow and my three children would grow up without a father. But what of the Jihad warrior when he returns to Bradford?

He may face criminal proceedings, we are told, although I doubt whether that would happen. The government wouldn't allow it on account of its new policy of intolerance to incitement of religious hatred.

If people who originate from another land cannot embrace the freedoms for which thousands of Yorkshiremen have died, then I suggest they go to where they will feel comfortable, and see how that country reacts to treason.

Michael Humphreys, Manor Close, Hawarden, Flintshire

SIR - I read about the four British Muslims killed fighting for the Taliban and the thousands more wishing to join them.

I have no problem with that, but they should go on the understanding that they do not return to this country.

If they wish to fight with the Taliban then they must live with the Taliban. If they want the benefits which this country affords them, then they must be willing to support this country. After all, they call themselves British. Or do they?

If martyrdom means killing the hand which feeds you, then this country will be better without them.

E Redman, Strawberry Fields, Keighley.

SIR - I note that young militant Muslims are wanting to go to fight for the Taliban.

If these young men want to go, let them. The more the merrier. But it will end in death, and if they do not die, they will have no home to return to because they should never be allowed to come back to England.

Too many have been killed already: 5,000-plus in American and innocent people in Afghanistan. That is the way things go in war. I should know, I have been there.

If bin Laden had been handed over for trial, none of this would have happened. As it is, the terrorists in Afghanistan will not find the British special forces a pushover like the Russians were.

Personally I would like to see all militants go, and take the bleeding-hearts do-gooders English with them.

N Brown, Peterborough Place, Undercliffe.

SIR - I am getting sick and tired hearing about how many of this country's young Muslims want to go and fight with the Taliban.

We all seem to tiptoe around the word "treason", which this is. If they so badly want to go, then the Government should once a week book a plane to Pakistan, pay for these people's tickets and then take their British passports away from them.

Also the press seems to be intent on making a meal out of these stray bombs that accidentally kill innocent people. This is war. These things happen.

What about the terrorists responsible for flying two planes into the World Trade Centre and the ones responsible for killing Christians as they worshipped their God?

Let's get behind our Prime Minister until these people have been destroyed. And also let's get those planes booked.

Jason Darling, Coniston Road, Bradford 7

SIR - Bradford Festival has been running for the past 14 years and very successfully too.

The organisers - Mark Fielding, Allan Brack and previously Dusty Rhodes - all did a pretty good job of it. At least, I never heard a word of criticism from anyone in all of those years.

So why bring in an outside company based in Glasgow to run what is essentially a Bradford event? It does not make sense to me nor to the many people to whom I have spoken.

UZ events and Zap Productions say that they are creating a new company (Bradford International Festival Ltd) to be based in the city centre, and hope to employ local people. I wish them well and look forward to the next Festival.

Philomena Hingston, Leaventhorpe Avenue, Bradford 8.

SIR - David Barnett's "ghosts" feature on October 31 was interesting even to a non-believer like myself. In his reference to Haworth he didn't mention Haworth Old Hall.

Some ten to 15 years ago I used to book foreign business visitors in at this hotel. It was only a couple of miles from my home so it was convenient for collecting them in the morning and returning there in the evening, and it was reasonably priced.

They used to sell (for 5p) a small leaflet which told of the ghost of a young girl, aged eight I think, which was supposed to appear on the steps. I used to buy a copy each time to give to my visitors to take home with them. But the last time I had a visitor staying there the sign telling of the leaflet and the ghost was not there.

I broke off typing this letter to make contact with the man who conducts the Haworth Graveyard Tours, Phil Lister. He does not know anything about this "ghost". Maybe a previous owner of the hotel fabricated the story in the hope of making the hotel famous?

Peter A Rushworth, Sutton Drive, Cullingworth.

SIR - I wonder if any of your readers remember Busby's first shop in Kirkgate before the Manningham Lane store? Our head teacher, Miss Abbs, was a friend of the Busby family, and she used to send some of us bigger girls to Busby's haberdashery for bolts of a very fine cotton material, and also embroidery silks and lace. We made camisoles with this material.

We had to carry these bolts up Wakefield Road to Usher Street School. Miss Abbs always bought our needlework things from Mr Busby's shop.

Mrs Rhodes, Leeds Road, Bradford.

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