Moslems in Keighley reacted with anger and anxiety to the air strikes on Iraq, say leaders of the local Asian community.

They are outraged that the bombing raids have killed innocent civilians and that Britain followed the American assault.

The comments came as Keighley MP Ann Cryer spoke of her great sadness about what has happened and called for a halt to further bombings. She says: "It is a pity for humanity that when we are on the verge of the new millennium we still cannot resolve our differences by more civilised methods than killing each other."

Mrs Cryer says the crisis is a consequence of the policy of building up weapons of mass destruction and treating Sad-dam Hussain as a friend during the Iran-Iraq war. She adds: "The West has a part to play in this. He was supported by the Americans and us during the war and supplied with weap-ons. I hope many of our young men and women and innocent people of Iraq are not hurt."

Khadim Hussain, manager of the Sangat Community Centre in Lawkholme, also spoke of the risk to British servicemen as well as civilians in Iraq. He says: "This is the 50th anniversary of human rights and this is the worst violation of human rights in that time."

Mr Hussain says the opinion of local Moslems matches those of the rest of the world, as well as many other people in Keighley and Britain.

He adds: "People are totally against this one-sided aggression without any meaningful objective. America wants to impose its own dictatorship over the whole world. There could have been a better result without going to those lengths."

Mr Hussain believes the British government could have taken advantage of its own strong historic links with the Moslem world to solve the problem peacefully.

Another Keighley community leader, who does not wish to be named, says many local Moslems are anxious and believe America is guilty of double standards.

He says: "Clinton can attack where he wants. People have died who are just living normal lives. There has been mass destruction."

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