Bombers' community fears backlash

By Mike Chilvers
BBC News in Beeston

Forensics experts arrive at one of the suspects' homes

The revelation that three of the London bomb suspects grew up in the same district of Leeds has left the Muslim community there in a state of shock.

Shehzad Tanweer, Mohammed Sadique Khan and Hasib Hussain all had strong links with Beeston, south of the city centre.

Asian people in the streets around Tanweer's Colwyn Road home told how they fear they will suffer reprisals.

"We're scared the finger of blame will be pointed at all of us," said 24-year-old Nusrat Hussain.

Tanweer, whose family came to Leeds from Pakistan in 1961, had lived all his life among the back-to-back houses of Beeston, on hills overlooking Leeds United's Elland Road stadium.

Hussain attended the local Matthew Murray High School, now called South Leeds High School, and Khan only left Beeston five months ago to move to Dewsbury.

Their links to Beeston have drawn the world's media attention to the area, adding to a sense of foreboding among local residents.

WEST YORKSHIRE RAIDS 1. 0630 BST: Two houses raided in Beeston 2. Two houses raided at same time in Dewsbury 3. One house raided in Holbeck 4. 1320 BST: Controlled explosion in Burley Suspects: Key facts Cars linked to attacks Viewpoint: Bombers ready to die

"People who do not like Muslims here have been given an excuse," said Ms Hussain, a close friend of the Tanweer family.

"If they point the finger at one they will point the finger at all of us.

"People think all Asians are the same but we are not all the same.

"We have to live here, we are going to suffer."

Ms Hussain said she had grown up with Tanweer and was his sister Tabsum's best friend.

"I couldn't imagine anyone in that family doing anything like this, it is really shocking.

"He [Shehzad Tanweer] used to pray five times a day, but what was he thinking?

"Nowhere does Islam tell you to go and kill yourself. It is the worst thing you can do."

She believes the suspected bombers must have been influenced by a mastermind outside the local community.

"There are three mosques that people go to round here and you would never hear anything like that there. I don't know anyone who thinks like that."

This is scary now, knowing that these children were brought up here and have done this Beeston resident Khalik

Her friend Uzma Rafiq, until recently a student in Leeds, said: "There must be somebody else behind this who has sent them down the wrong path.

"The problem is some people will not understand that. There will be some people who will say there's another Paki and they won't bother if they hurt someone.

"I'm scared to walk out on the street now. We're all worried, you just ask anyone and they'll tell you they're worried."

"Everybody is shocked," said another local resident, Ahmad, 36.

"All those extremists are radicalising our faith," he said, adding "there is no justification for this, not even Iraq".

He echoed the widely-held belief that the men may have been helped by someone outside the community, saying: "They just can't do it alone."

"I am shocked," said Khalik, 42, who lives nearby. "This is scary now, knowing that these children were brought up here and have done this."

Khalik also feared reprisals and pointed to the attacks on mosques after the London bombings.

"I'm afraid that this is only the starting point of this," he said.

"Something has to be done. The authorities will be monitoring the Muslim community now.

"That's going to be heavy, more and more heavy."