I WAS saddened by the recent attack in the mosque in Swindon. I have lived in the town for nearly 20 years and have never experienced racial tension between the groups living here.

I assume that the attack was carried out by someone who would see himself as British, who feels threatened by a group that he does not understand other than what he is fed by the press.

I assume he would advocate all foreigners be sent home. I assume he feels that amongst our Muslim community there could be someone who has fundamental feelings that would lead them to commit terrorist acts.

I also assume that he feels that there are those in our community who would support his actions.

He is in the extreme minority just as the fundamentalist Muslims are. His actions have no place in our town.

I would like to stand with the Muslim leaders in the town and condemn the attack on the mosque. They have a right to live and worship in peace and without fear of attack. We live in a multi-cultural country and with modern transportation and the global economy we can never turn the clock back to when all people in our country were white Anglo Saxons.

Take a walk through the Broad Street area and see the colour and diversity that different ethnic groups bring to our town.

So I hope all Swindonians would stand with me and condemn the attack. If there are those with concerns about race and terrorism, take them up with our elected members in national government.

IAN HOWARD

Westlea