CHRISTIAN and Muslim leaders in Redditch have pledged to maintain and nurture peaceful community relations across the town, writes Becky Procter.

A number of Redditch churches have met with Muslims at the Easemore Road mosque with a response to the terrorist attacks on the USA.

Canon David Salt, of St Stephen's Church, said a statement was read out by the Rev Noel Sharpe, of Trinity Church.

The statement said: "Already in this and other countries there have been threats and acts of violence against Muslim communities.

"We would wish to dissociate ourselves from any similar acts and assure our Muslim friends that we share with them the hurt which they may be unjustly experiencing.

"We believe that the faith of Christianity and Islam share the belief in a God who values all human life.

"We would urge people of all faiths to work together for peace and reconciliation. At this critical time it is vital that no action is taken which would increase the hurt and lead to an escalation of conflict.

"We believe that evil in whatever form can only ultimately be overcome by the love of God expressed in the lives of individuals and nations."

Mohammed Aftab, of Redditch Pakistani Community Forum, said: "It was really good and gave us a chance to understand each other, especially with war going on.

"With terms like Islamic and Muslim being used, people get the idea our religion is full of war and hurting people, which is completely untrue.

"The Christian churches and the mosque getting together to develop a relationship is a really good start and will make people aware that ours is a very peaceful religion."