British PM Meets With Muslim Leaders
PM Tony Blair and other senior politicians at today's meeting with Muslim leaders
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19 July 2005 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other senior politicians met with the country's Muslim leaders today to discuss ways to tackle extremism in the wake of the 7 July London bomb attacks, which is believed to have been carried out by four British Muslims.
Blair -- along with Liberal Democrats leader Charles Kenndy, Conservative leader Michael Howard, and others -- met at Downing Street with 25 representatives of the local Muslim community, including all four Muslim members of Parliament.
Reports said a key item on the agenda was proposed British antiterror legislation, including measures that would outlaw "indirect" incitement of terrorist attacks. This would include, for example, praising acts of terrorism.
Muslim leaders have expressed shock that the four British Muslims are suspected of having carried out
the July bombings, which killed 56 people, injured hundreds of others, and shut down parts of the capital. They have suggested, however, that any new restrictive legislation that appears to target Muslims will make the situation worse, not better.
(AP)