Muslims Gather For Terror Raid Protest

    LONDON – More than 1000 Muslim protesters have gathered in east London to demonstrate against an anti-terror raid in which a man was shot. Demonstrators waved placards emblazoned with a variety of anti-government and anti-police slogans, including: “Tony Blair terrorist”, “Stop police brutality”, and “Blair: shoot first ask questions later”. But the family of the two brothers arrested during last Friday’s raid in Lansdown Road expressed their opposition to the demonstration today, urging the local community not to give it their support. Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman said it is not the time for “conflict and anger” and urged all communities to “pull together”. His words came after he apologised directly for the “disruption and inconvenience” when a house was raided in the hunt for a suspected chemical bomb last Friday. Mohammed Abdul Kahar was shot in the struggle with armed police. Police have yet to disclose what their intelligence suggested they would discover in the house – believed to be a chemical-based explosive device. But Mr Hayman said the investigation was ongoing and if police did not find it there, the search could continue elsewhere to prove or disprove the intelligence. This could mean more raids linked to the investigation. The Assistant Commissioner insisted the raid in Lansdown Road, which involved close to 250 officers – some wearing chemical protection suits – and led to a suspect being shot in the shoulder, was “necessary and proportionate”. He accepted that there had been concerns about the “visual impact” of the Forest Gate operation, saying that had led police “to reflect as to whether or not we can do it differently”. Police now have until Saturday to question Kahar and Abul Koyair, who are being held at London’s high security Paddington Green Police Station.

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