BBC News Online: Entertainment: Showbiz

British actors call for peace

Harold Pinter has long been a critic of US foreign policy

The letter to the Daily Telegraph came from a group including playwright Harold Pinter, actor Corin Redgrave and artist Maggi Hambling.

The actors made an appeal for leaders to stop what they called the "madness" of a "new world war".

The letter argued that a war against Afghanistan, Iraq and the world's poorest countries "will not rescue any victims of September 11, or make the cities of America and Europe safer".

The letter went on: "Terrorism cannot be defeated by bombs, bullets or secret intelligence.

'Poverty'

"Terrorism is the language of hatred and despair.

The letter criticised past Western policies towards Afghanistan and Iraq.

It also said that human rights and civil liberties were being "trampled on" by politicians "fanning the flames of intolerance with their preparations for war".

Harold Pinter is one of Britain's most respected playwrights, while actor Corin Redgrave has appeared in many TV series and films, including the new British thriller Enigma.

The letter concluded with an appeal to make war "on poverty" rather than on states which harbour terrorists.

Pinter was forced to apologise for reported "anti-American" comments he made in Italy only hours before the attacks on the US.