'Global code' needed in terrorism fight

The prince wants to break association between Islam and terrorism

Prince Hassan of Jordan has called for the creation of a world cultural parliament to help the global fight against terrorism.

The prince, who was addressing a conference in London on the Islamic response to terrorism, said there was an urgent need for a global code of conduct to protect people's human rights.

Muslim delegates also reiterated their condemnation of the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States, which they said had no foundation in Islam.

On the agenda will be an examination of the causes of international terrorism, the adequacy of international law against terrorism, intelligence gathering and the impact of UK anti-terrorism laws on the Muslim community.

Impact on community

Leading representatives of the British Muslim community are discussing how their community should react to the atrocities blamed on Islamic fundamentalist Osama Bin Laden.

Prince Hassan has been keen to emphasise the attacks on New York and Washington should not be blindly associated with Islam.

Delegates at the conference, organised by the Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism and the Al Khoei Foundation. want to emphasise that the Muslim community shared the pain and outrage of the attacks which left thousands dead.

BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Piggott said although Muslim clerics and the wider community in the UK have condemned the attacks, associations between Islam and terrorism continue.

He said Prince Hassan has argued that countries should come together to try and avoid misunderstandings.

Thursday's conference is being held at the Al Khoei Foundation in north west London.