David Cameron rejects criticism of extremism letter

Some Muslim leaders have expressed anger at a government letter sent to mosques urging them to do more to show how Islam is part of British identity.

But Prime Minister David Cameron defended the letter, which was sent by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, as "reasonable, sensible, and moderate."

ITV News' UK Editor Rohit Kachroo reports:

David Cameron has defended a letter sent to Muslim leaders asking them to do more to combat extremism, saying anyone who opposes it "really has a problem".

"I think it is absolutely right to write this letter, to say that we all have a responsibility to fight extremism," the Prime Minister said after a speech in Ipswich.

"Anyone, frankly, reading this letter, who has a problem with it, I think really has a problem.

"I think it is the most reasonable, sensible, moderate letter that Eric could possibly have written.

"Frankly, all of us have a responsibility to try to confront this radicalisation and make sure that we stop young people being drawn into this poisonous fanatical death cult that a very small minority of people have created."

Former chief rabbi Lord Sacks says he understands the frustrations of Muslim leaders who feel they are being held responsible for dealing with the radicalisation of young people.

Lord Sacks' comments come amid a row over a Government letter asking Islamic leaders to do more to tackle extremism.

"The problem is ... that letter suggested that the Muslim community within Britain can contain its own radicals," he told the BBC.

"The truth is that Islamism, like all modern global political movements, is actually a global phenomenon - transmitted by the internet, transmitted by social media - and so I would not be surprised if the Muslim community didn't say 'You're asking of us something that is not under our control'.

"I am absolutely sure that the Government was incredibly well-intentioned - Lord Ahmad and Eric Pickles are terrific people - but I can kind of see that Muslim communities said 'Why are you pointing the finger of blame at us?'."

A minster has hit back at criticism of a letter sent to mosques in England, insisting it had an "explicit message" of togetherness with the Muslim community.

Harun Khan, from the Muslim Council of Britain, has challenged Communities Secretary Eric Pickles for writing to more than 1,000 leaders asking them to do more to tackle the radicalisation of young people.

Speaking to the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Lord Ahmad said: "I think his response is disappointing.

"Within the letter there is an explicit paragraph that says British values are Muslim values. You can't be more explicit than that.

"Perhaps he wasn't clear in what the letter said but if you have seen a copy of the letter ... it has been pretty explicit that we want to work together with the Muslim community."

An open letter to more than 1,000 Islamic leaders in England, urging them to do more to tackle extremism, has drawn criticism from the Muslim Council of Britain.

The organisation has asked Mr Pickles to "clarify his request" as it questioned whether if, like "members of the far right", he was suggesting that Islam is inherently apart from British society.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has written to mosques in England saying there is "more work to do" to stop young people from Muslim communities being recruited into extremism.

In the letter sent to more than 1,000 Islamic leaders, and co-signed by communities minister Lord Ahmad, he wrote:

Posters advertising a Holocaust memorial event have been defaced in Newham, east London.

The posters, advertising an event in Stratford have been covered in graffiti including the words "liars" and "killer".

Police said the incidents are being listed as a "hate crime" and said officers in Newham were investigating.

Newham Council said a fourth Holocaust memorial poster has been defaced at a location on Balaam Street, Plaistow.

The graffiti has been condemned widely. Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham, described the incidents in east London as "despicable" and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

CCTV footage captured in Newham show the moments a Holocaust memorial poster was sprayed with graffiti by a member of the public.

Police are now investigating four incidents of racially motivated graffiti on posters around Stratford after being alerted to the offences though social media.

Police are treating the events as racially aggravated criminal damage.

Newham residents and the mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, expressed their shock and sadness at the events. Resident James Tattle, who reported one of the incidents to Newham Council said he was repulsed.

Anyone with information relating to these crimes is being urged to contact police on the non-emergency number 101.

The number of people arrested over suspected terrorist activity shot up by almost a third last year, according to the country's top counter-terrorism police chief.

And anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim attacks are among his main causes for concern.

Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the National Policing Lead for Counter Terrorism, revealed that there were 327 arrests in 2014 for terrorist offences - up by 32 per cent since 2013.

In a briefing given after last week's attacks in Paris, Mr Rowley said the "global picture" of extremist activity had raised serious concerns for the safety of the UK's Jewish community, with "continuing anti-Semitic rhetoric" emerging.